INTERCESSORS

Text: Exodus 17: 1-15, Daniel 9:2-19, Acts 12:1-15
 
Intercessors are those who take the situations of other people to God in prayer. They seek the face of God on behalf of others, that is intercede for them.

'Interceding' is an act of love and this is Christ like. It means to have concern for others, share their burden and take it to The Lord in prayer for solution. It could also be defined as 'acting as a mediator between the concerned and God'. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Ultimate and greatest Intercessor; He closed the gap between us and God and keeps interceding for us in heaven even till now.

Romans 8:34 says, "Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us". Also in Hebrews 7: 24-25, "But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because He always lives to intercede for them". If Jesus is the greatest intercessor, He expects us to follow His example. Jesus, apart from bearing the sins of many, also made intercession for the transgressors as recorded in Isa 53:12.

The Holy Spirit is also an intercessor as recorded in Romans 8:26-27, "In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

 

Brethren, it is the will of God that there are intercessors. The Bible says in Isa 59:16, "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor". God wondered why there was no intercessor. He actually lamented as implied in Ezekiel 22:30, "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none". The Bible revealed to us through Gen 18: 23-32 how Abraham tried to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah when God wanted to destroy it. The Bible says in Gen 18: 22-23, "The men turned away and went to Sodom but Abraham remained before The Lord. Then Abraham approached Him and said will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" The conversation continued between God and Abraham till verse 32 which says "when The Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left and Abraham returned home." It is not out of place to intercede. Gal 3:29 says we are offsprings of Abraham and if he interceded, then we ought to intercede.

 

Generally intercessors intercede for individuals, ministers of God, the Church, Nations, people in authority, leaders, families, lost souls, the unreached, the saints, loved ones, captives, the sick, those being persecuted and many others. Intercessors could be a group of people, a whole family, a church or individuals. Sometimes people can request that intercessors lift them up in prayers as Apostle Paul requested in Eph 6:19 -20, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. For which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should." He also requested that saints should be prayed for as well. Paul requested for prayers from some Christians in Ephesus and also in Colosse. In Col 3:2-4 Paul instructed, "Devote yourselves to prayers, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us too that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should."

There are examples of individuals, in the Bible, who interceded. Daniel, Moses with Aaron and Hur and the church as intercessors

DANIEL (Daniel 9:2-19)
Daniel interceded for Jerusalem against desolation. The Bible says in Daniel 9:3,"So I turned to The Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting and in sackcloth and ashes." Daniel pleaded through verses 2-19 with God, confessing and asking The Lord to turn away His anger and wrath from Jerusalem. Daniel said in verse 17, "Now our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake O Lord, look with favour on your desolate sanctuary. Verse 19 says, "O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive!, O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name." Daniel really interceded against impending doom and desolation of Jerusalem. You can be an intercessor; stand in gap for your nation, and nations of the world for peace and for the spread of the gospel.

MOSES (Exodus 17:1-15)
While Joshua was fighting for Israel against the Amalekites, Moses stood on top of the hill with the staff of God in His hands, Aaron his brother and Hur went with him to assist. Moses not only held up the staff but he was also interceding and pleading with God for success and victory. As long as Moses hands were up, Joshua prevailed but anytime his hands were down, the Amalekites prevailed. Aaron and Hur were in support of Moses holding up his arms anytime he was tired. Brethren, you can intercede for someone for victory and success. You can join a group of people to intercede.

THE CHURCH (Acts 12: 1-15)
King Herod thought it would be pleasing to the Jews to kill Peter after he had killed James the brother of John. So he imprisoned Peter with the intention of killing him after the Passover celebration. The church rose up to intercede for Peter through prayers, and the Bible says in Acts 12:5, "Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." The night before Herod was to bring Peter to trial, an angel of The Lord appeared while Peter bound with two chains slept between two solders and a light shone in the Cell. After the angel's interaction with him, the chains on his wrists fell off. The angel led him out of the prison. Even the prison door opened by itself and Peter was set free, then the angel disappeared. People were amazed how Peter was miraculously set free. In the following morning, a thorough search was made and King Herod had to cross examine the guards and ordered that they be executed. God Almighty responded instantly to the intercessory prayers made by the church and Peter was set free. The church has a lot of roles to play. Intercessory prayers offered on behalf of fellow church members is one of them. May The Lord empower his church. Amen.

Brethren, use the gift The Lord has given you to serve others faithfully. You can be an intercessor. To become one, you must be selfless and have a loving spirit that reaches out to others. You must have concern for others even when your own heart may have reasons to become self-preoccupied. You must have burden for people and love to pray for families, church, nations of the world and of course yourself.

Interceding brings you closer to God and makes God to draw closer to you. It also enables you to adopt a holy living since you will have to seek the face of The Lord constantly. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Ultimate intercessor. He will be very pleased if you are one of those doing what He is doing in heaven on earth.

PRAYER-Father in Heaven, thank you for choosing me and bringing me to light. I love to be a blessing to others through intercessory prayers - praying for peace and for the spread of the gospel to nations of the world. Help me, O Lord and grant me the enablement to be a great intercessor. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

FORGIVENESS

Text: Matt 18:21-35,  Luke 23:21-34,  Acts 7:59-60

Forgiveness is a conscious and deliberate decision to let go feelings of resentment or vengeance towards a person or a group who has wronged, harmed or offended you. It is an act of mercy or compassion extended to someone who wronged you. It is to let go an offence, acquit the offender and set him or her free without pressing any claims. It is to pardon.

"Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note, torn into pieces and burnt up, so that it can never be shown against any offender or anyone."

One of God's attributes is forgiveness. His nature is to forgive, and to forgive is divine. But one of the most difficult things for man to do is forgiveness. The scripture admonishes you to forgive. If you are of the Father and a believer you have to follow suit, that is, forgive as the Lord forgives.

 

The Bible says in Matt 6:12,14 and 15, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses." Brethren, for you to be forgiven by God, you have to forgive others no matter the magnitude of the offence and no matter how it hurts. If you fear God, it will not be difficult for you to forgive (Ps 130:4).

 

The Scripture says fear God and obey His commands. Therefore, apart from being a condition for you to receive forgiveness, it is also a command. When you forgive someone that hurts you, you are helping yourself more than the other person, because forgiveness keeps your heart free from burden. The Bible says in Matt 5:44 - 45, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." In essence, there should not be any malice towards them in spite of their hurting you.  Verse 45 says "that you may be sons of your father in heaven". Your enemies and those persecuting you will  definitely be hurting you but the scripture says you should pray for them. That is, you have to forget, forgive, love and also pray for them. Praying for those who hurt you is vital to successfully forgiving them. Ps 86:5 says, "You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you." God does not repay you according to your iniquities. So you must find a place in your heart to forgive. Have a large heart.

In Matt 18:21-22, our Lord Jesus Christ gave us an example on how to forgive others when Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but up to seventy times seven." It means you must always forgive whenever your brethren sinned against you. You should not deny him or her of forgiveness. In verses 23-25,  Jesus explained in parable what is likely to befall someone who refused to forgive with the unmerciful and wicked servant who owed a king ten thousand talents and the king forgave him, but he refused to forgive someone who owed him one hundred denarii which is so little. When the king heard, he withdrew the pardon extended to him and he was jailed. And Jesus said, "This is how my Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." The  psalmist says in Ps 103:3, "Praise The Lord O my soul who forgives all your sins." God forgives all your sins, and not some or part of it. You have to forgive too and with all your heart. Verse 9 says, "He will not always accuse nor will He harbour his anger forever." Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." Remember that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and He is constantly advocating your case with our Father,  therefore you must forgive.

In John 8:1-11, Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery. She was to be stoned to death by the law of the land,Moses Law, but she received pardon from Jesus. She got life instead of death. In Luke 23:34, the thief on the right hand of Jesus on the cross got pardon when he pleaded with Jesus-  he made it to heaven with Him. Also, when Jesus was crucified He said, "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." Despite the torture, mockery, hardship, beating and falsehood against Him, He  still asked his Father to forgive his accusers. Can any offence be greater than this? - Yet Jesus pleaded for them for forgiveness.

In Acts 7:59-60, Stephen asked God to forgive his accusers; "while they were stoning him, Stephen prayed," Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit. Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord do not hold this sin against them." Brethren, if  Stephen at that point could ask God not to hold it against them, then nothing should be too hurtful or too painful as not to forgive. Jesus and Stephen's emotions could have run wild when they were been tortured as to curse those people but instead they pleaded with God, our Father, to forgive them. You should never allow your emotions to run wild.  The Scripture says in Luke 6:27-28, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Verse 31 says, "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

Verse 37 says, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." So if you want to be forgiven, you just must forgive others. Jesus reassures you in Mark 3:28 -29, "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven."

In Gen 45:1-15,  the scripture explains what Joseph suffered in the hand of his brothers. But despite the plot against Joseph by his brothers, he had a large heart, showed them love, took care of them and reassured them of his forgiveness. Also in Gen 33:1-10, despite the importance of his birth-right and blessings which Jacob cunningly took from his elder brother Esau, he still forgave him. If Joseph, Esau and Stephen who are flesh like you could forgive you should be able to forgive as well.

 

Brethren, nothing is too much to be forgiven. You can go through the process of forgiveness by:
(1) Asking for it.
(2) You can approach the offender in case he or she does not know he has offended you.
(3) You can receive forgiveness through repentance

Remember that the scripture says in Mark 11:25, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.". Avoid whatever will stand in your way or hinder your prayers.

Benefits of Forgiveness:

You shall be forgiven. Luke 6:37,  Mark 11:25
It enables you to pray the more.  Ephesians 4: 26-27
It gives you Spiritual freedom. Matt 6:14.
It makes you to be at peace with all men. Romans 12:18
It keeps your heart free from burden.
It repairs a damaged relationship, sustains it and also heals wounds

Prayer
Father in heaven, thank you for your word concerning forgiveness. To err is human, and I realize that if I forgive and also repent, you will forgive me all. Father, grant me the grace to be able to forgive those that offend or hurt me and those that accuse me unjustly. And also grant me the grace to be able to pray for them and be at peace with them. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

WAITING ON THE LORD

TEXT: Isa 40:27-31, Ps 27:14, Ps 40:1-4.

To wait on The Lord is to depend on Him for everything. It is to endure the passage of time. It is to patiently trust in God to come to one's aid in times of need or trouble for guidance, direction, and solution. It is to be expectant and total submission to God's better offer, idea and solution. It is to turn to Him completely and to declare your confidence in Him that He is more than able.

The Bible says in Isa 40:31, "But they that wait upon The Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." This assures you that God's power and strength never diminishes. He is never tired or too busy to come to your aid, to strengthen you, to renew you and fulfil His promises in your life. Through patience, and comfort from the word of God there is hope for you. Amen. Also Ps 27:14 says, "Wait on The Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say on The Lord."

Waiting is a command as written in Ps 37:34 and it is also with a promise that if you wait on The Lord you will be exalted and inherit the land. Have unwavering confidence in God, He is always offering help, hope and solutions. Waiting time or period is not to be spent passively but actively filling the gap with thanksgiving, quality worship, high praises, feeding yourself regularly with the word of God and applying it to the situation with prayer and fasting, and exercising your faith and hoping to receive from God.

The scripture admonishes you in James 5:8 to be patient, illustrating how a farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop after planting, how to stand firm and wait for the Lord's coming. As a pregnant woman expectantly waits to see a new baby delivered and makes preparations for it and so also is your waiting because joy always follow afterwards. These words are encouraging, so be patient in everything and wait on The Lord. Trust him with all your worries.

The scripture encourages you in Hosea 12:6 to wait on your God continually. Also, in Habakkuk 2:3b, "Though it tarry, wait for it because it will surely come." Whatever you are waiting for will surely come. And do you know that while you are waiting, God is working behind the scene on your case because He cares for you. Just cast your burden upon him as in Proverbs 16:3.

Also the Bible says in James 1:4, "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Brethren, trust God with all your burden and concerns. Let him be at the centre of your life. You must learn to wait on God for everything since without Him you cannot do anything John 15:5.

You may be waiting on God for salvation, providence, blessings, the day of the Lord's coming, promotion, healing, restoration, job, future partner, and fruit of the womb and so on. Whatever it is, trust Him, for nothing is too difficult for him who brings light into darkness and makes springs of water flow in the desert. He says in Ps 55:22, cast your care and burden upon him. All you need is to wait on him.

Let us consider some individuals: David, Jacob, Job and Isaiah, who waited on The Lord in the Bible.

David knew from experience what it meant to wait on The Lord. He was anointed King at the age of sixteen but did not become king until he was thirty years old. Despite the fact that he was chased through the desert and from town to cave by king Saul, he waited on The Lord for the fulfilment of His promise. David eventually mounted the throne as king of Israel. No wonder he admonished you with Ps 27:14 to wait on The Lord, “I admonish you to wait on The Lord, for your waiting shall not be in vain”.

Jacob had to wait for extra seven years to serve Laban to be able to marry Rachel whom he wanted as wife. Despite the deceit from Laban by giving him Leah; his first daughter, as wife instead of Rachel, Jacob still served and waited to get what he wanted. Brethren, your waiting will not be in vain. (Amen). Jacob's waiting was not in vain. The Bible says in Ps 37:34 that "Those that wait on The Lord will inherit the Land."

Despite all that Job went through, he lost almost all he had but he said in Job 14:14, "If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service, will I wait for my renewal to come." Job was so hopeful and waited on The Lord for renewal and he had a better testimony.

Prophet Isaiah said in Isa 8:17, "I will wait for The Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, I will put my trust in him." Despite the fact that the situation then was not encouraging, it was like heaven was closed against the Israelites and prophecies seemed not to be coming to pass but Isaiah made up his mind to wait on The Lord and he did and experienced the fulfilment of the prophecies.

Brethren, God is worth waiting on. Since you have no power of your own to get anything done you just have to wait on The Lord your source.

Benefits of waiting on The Lord:
- Blessings always follow a period of waiting. Ps 40:1-4
- Waiting helps you to develop your faith and character. Jam 1:3-4

-It leads you to a way of righteousness. Ps 37:6
- God will exalt you to inherit the land. Ps 37:34
- The Lord will be good to you. Lam 3:25
- Blessed are you if you wait on him. Isa 30:18
- God will keep you in perfect peace. Isa 26:3
- He will be your help and your shield. Ps 33:20
- It brings you closer to God and enables you to give glory to Him only, rather than glorify self or other power.
- Christ will appear a second time to bring salvation to you if you wait for him till the end. Heb 9:28.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for your care and love for me. I know no one else can change my situation and circumstances for better. Grant me the grace and the patience I need to be able to wait on you in all things in Jesus name I pray. Amen.

CELEBRATE HIM

TEXT: Isaiah 9:6, Ps 24:10, John 14: 6

'To celebrate' means to make known publicly and to praise widely.

Who is this HIM? The HIM is the only begotten son of the Almighty God. He is God Himself. His name is Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, The King of glory, Our Saviour and Intercessor (Matt 1:21), The High Priest, Prophet and King, The Indescribable Gift God sent to us for the salvation of our souls. He is our peace (Eph 2:14).  The good shepherd (John 10:11), the horn and the rock of our salvation (Ps 18: 2), our Redeemer (Job 19:25). The one who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14); The hope of glory (Col 1:27); The way, the truth and the life, the only link to the Almighty God (John 14:6); The I AM THAT I AM (John 8:58); The Alpha and the Omega (Rev 1:8); The Lord of lords and the King of kings (Rev 17:14); The one whose name is above every name (Phil 2:9). He taught us a wonderful model prayer (Matt 6:9-13). The One who also came as flesh to experience all that we go through to encourage us. He redeemed us and reconciled us with His Father. He laid His life for mankind. He is no other one than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

What else can we do for the one who did so much for us other than to celebrate Him, proclaim his wonderful love, praise, hail and worship Him? And to talk about Him to all nations, spread the good news of Him all over the world, tell the sweet story of the one who wants you to live in his victory and has already overcome the enemy of your soul. He paid for your sin and did so much for you on the cross. He came to restore you to God. He is the light (Isa 49:6). He bore your sins and took stripes for you to be healed; He became poor so that you may be rich. He came to give you life abundantly. (John 10:10b). He suffered, bled and died for you. His blood cleanses and washes away your sins. At the mention of His Name, every knee bows down and every tongue confesses that He is the Lord (Phil 2:10-11). The one who promised to be with you till the end of the age (Matt 28: 19-20). He lives for ever (Heb 7: 25). He has gone back to our Father to prepare a place for you and I.

Ways to celebrate Jesus:

• Announce Him and tell others that He is coming back again.
• Do His Will and the Will of the Father always, thereby pleasing Him.
• Feed His lamb (John 21: 15-17)
• Fellowship with Him always (John 15:13)
• Bear fruits that will abide and remain (John 15:16)
• Obey His commandments (Luke 6:46)
• Spread the good news to all the nations of the world (Mark 16:15)
• Be His disciples
• Teach the new disciples to obey all the commands as He has given you.
• Partake in the Holy Communion as often as possible in remembrance of Him (1 Cor 11: 24)
• Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take care of strangers, clothe the naked and look after the sick. (Matt 25:35)
• Prepare and wait for His second coming.

PRAYER- Lord Jesus, you are awesome, you have done so much for me, May I not be tired of celebrating you till your Kingdom come. Amen. In your name I pray.

CHILDREN UPBRINGING IN A CHRISTIAN HOME - PARENTING

Text: Psalm 127:3-5, Proverbs 22:6, Malachi 2:15, Ephesians 6:4

 

Upbringing of children in a Christian home is the care and training of children from childhood to adulthood. It is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood in a Christ centred environment; an environment where the parents or giver of the care and training depicts an epitome of Christ's love.

The scripture says in Psa 127: 3-5 "Children are an heritage of The Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are children. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." They are to give you joy and to empower you later in life. It is a privilege to have them and also it is a responsibility.

What does upbringing entail?

It entails Godliness, availability, caring, loving, teaching, supervision, provision, commitment, meeting children’s needs, defending and protecting the children. Also God expects godly seeds from parents. Malachi 2:15. It implies that you have to be godly parents.  Fresh and salt water cannot come out from the same spring (James 3:11), therefore for you to be able to produce godly seeds, you must be godly. The Scripture says in Deut 6: 6-7, "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up".  God also expects you to impress his commands on your children. You have to impart the knowledge of God on them.

 

In the early years of child-hood, the closest people to children are their parents. Therefore parents must love each other so as to implant love in the children and the children can learn how to love each other, neighbours and even themselves. It is the responsibility of the parents to evangelize them and lead them to Christ. The scripture says in Prov 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." You have to create time for them from babyhood and to demonstrate your love to them.

 

It is a common knowledge that children brought up in a loving and caring home with the love of Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit are always emotionally and psychologically stable. Correct them in love and do not withhold discipline. The scripture says in Prov 23: 13-14 "Do not withhold discipline from a child, if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death." The father chastises the son he loves. Discipline is part of training. It helps good mannerism and also helps children to go the way you would want them to go. Celebrate and motivate them when there is need to. These encourage children to put up their best.

 

At the same time parents must not provoke their children to anger, instead bring them up in the training and instruction of The Lord as in Eph 6:4. Do not embitter them or they will be discouraged as written in Col 3:21. They should be guided and protected from people who are likely to abuse them. Parents must be watchful. Raise them up to love The Lord and be good ambassadors of Christ. Children watch and emulate fast. Be careful of what you model at home. Parents have to be good role models. However, children cannot be isolated from the environment and community. Let them be aware of what operates outside the home. This will help them to cope, adjust and be stable. It also helps them not to mal-adjust. Most of the antisocial behaviours seen in the society among the human race all over the world could be traced to lack of proper upbringing or parenting. Parenting is a lifelong process. May The Lord help you fulfil this obligation. Amen.

 

Some Tips to assist in upbringing .

• Feed them with well- balanced diet.
• Give them training on toilet usage, table manners, respect for elders and authority.
• Teach them how to love and share with others.
• Provide them the best education.
• Impart the right attitude, moral values and holy living in them.
• Monitor the programme they watch on Television .
• Help them in their studies.
• Know the friends they move with.
• Protect them and be watchful.
• Lead them to Christ.
• Communicate with them and avoid communication gap.
• Meet their needs to a reasonable extent.
• Do not compare them with other children and let them know they are special, unique and fearfully made.
• Love all the children equally and don't have a favourite among them.
• Counsel them in areas of careers and choice of life partner in a godly manner.
• Train them to be diligent.
• Ensure the home environment helps them to be stable spiritually, morally, physically, emotionally and socially.

 

PRAYER:

Father, I know it is by your grace to be a parent. Grant me the wisdom, grace, spiritual endowment and material resources that I need to be able to produce godly seeds that you expect from me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

ETERNITY IS REAL: BE PREPARED

Text: Amos 4:12, Matt 16:26-28, Matt 25:34

Eternity means "without limitation of time and space". It is an endless time and the space has no boundary. It is only relevant to life after death. It can either be spent in heaven or hell. Heaven is a prepared place for the prepared people (John 14:2) It is for the righteous after death because that is the abode of God, Christ, the good angels and the saints. It is for those who remain in faith to the end. (Matt 10: 22). It is a land of promise for those who endure to the end. While hell is the place for the wicked after death and the condemned spirits.

Eternity is the greatest gift from God and it is the greatest hope you have. It is permanent and it is inevitable. This sermon will focus on how to prepare for eternity that will be spent in heaven.

To prepare in this case is to be focused and to fix your gaze on Jesus Christ, the author and the finisher of our faith and also the joys above. To prepare is to put yourself in readiness for heaven.

If heaven is for the prepared people, then you must be well prepared and live each day prepared.

For the day of The Lord will come as it were, like a thief in the night. Eternity should be your greatest priority in this life.Your present abode is temporal. The scripture says in Amos 4:12 "Prepare to meet thy God". Preparation for eternity can be likened to a bride beautifully dressed and without blemish awaiting her bridegroom.

Your sojourn here on earth is temporary, no matter how long you live here on earth, it is still short in comparison to eternity. It is certain that you will leave one day, therefore prepare adequately well for where you are leaving for. It is very true that you brought nothing into the world, and you can take nothing out of it.You should therefore lay up your treasures in heaven, where moth nor rust doth corrupt, for where your treasure is, surely there will your heart be also. Matt 6:20.

For God does not want you to perish but to have eternal life. He wants you to make it to heaven and to come and sit on His right hand and reign with Him. The scripture says in 2 Peter 3:9, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance". God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Hence He sent Jesus so that you may live. And Jesus assures you and I that He has gone to prepare a place for us. In Matt 14:2, He says "In my Father's house are  many rooms, if it were not so. I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you". So brethren, get prepared.

 

Your preparation involves: accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, believing in The Lord Jesus, His death, burial and His resurrection from the dead. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life, nobody comes to the father except through me". Therefore, the only way to eternity is through Jesus. He is coming back to take the saints.1Thess 3:13. Since nobody knows the time, you must be prepared.

 

By accepting Christ you must:

• Get baptized Mark 16:16
• Love Him, follow Him and give your life to Him totally. John 15:9-10.
• Obey Him and keep His statues. Acts 5:29.
• Stand firm in faith till the end. Matt 24:13
• Fear God and keep His commandments. Ecc 12:13
• Confess your sins and repent.1 John 1:9
• Free your heart from worldly pleasures. Heb 13:5.
• Mend fences and be at peace with all men. Rom 12:18, Heb 12:14.
• Restitute your ways with God and men. Lev 6:2-5, Rom 10:10.
• Be faithful in all things even unto death. Rev 3:11.
• Live holy and be pure .Live to please God in all ways. 1 Pet 1:15.
• Walk in His ways always.Gen 17:1.
• Worship Him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24.
• Lay up your treasures in heaven. Matt 6:20.
• Order your priorities and seek first the kingdom of God. Matt 6:33
• Do not owe anybody and do not owe God in tithe and in offering. Prov 3:9.
• Patiently endure temptations till the end. James 1:12.
• Win souls and testify to His goodness. John15:16.
• Be involved positively in the Ministry of reconciliation and the Great Commission. Mark16:15.
• Stand firm and keep advancing in the work of God.1 Cor15:58.
• Set your heart on things above where Christ  is seated. Col 3:1.
• Set your mind on things above not on earthly things. Col 3:2.
• Put to death what ever belongs to your earthly nature. Col 3:5.
• Avoid procrastination,your salvation is now,for tomorrow may be late. 2 Cor 6:2.
• Even when you are sure of your salvation, guard it with fear and trembling. Phil 2:12
• Ask for divine grace to help you prepare adequately for eternity.

Your mansion is awaiting you. The scripture says in Matt 16:26-28, "what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

For the son of man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels and then he will reward

each person according to what he has done." Also in Matt 25:34, Jesus said to those on His right

"Come, you who are blessed by my father, take your inheritance,  the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

 

Brethren,when He shall come with the trumpet sound, where will you be found? When the roll is called up yonder,will you be there? You must be prepared.

 

PRAYER: Father in heaven, I know Eternity is inevitable and that heaven is real. Grant me the grace to be adequately prepared so that when the roll is called yonder, I will qualify to be there in Jesus name. Amen

THE "BELOVED" OF GOD

Text: Matt 3:17, John 13:23, 1st Thess 1:4

The beloved of God is someone that is very much loved by God. She/he is very precious, special, greatly loved, cared for and adored. He/she is someone that is preferred by God to others; a chosen one that is mostly and highly favoured. The beloved can also be referred to as the apple of God's eye; someone who is guarded and protected by God.

The scripture gives us an example of what a beloved of God is. When a voice from heaven says in Matt 3:17,"This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased": it was the voice of God and the beloved son here is Jesus Christ - the closest to God and always at the right hand of God. It is a great privilege to be the beloved of God.

Also when Jesus chose John among all to be number one, the scripture refers to him as John the beloved. The selection of John by Jesus Christ was in stages before he finally came to be the closest. Twelve were chosen as apostles among those Jesus wanted as in Mark 3:13, and from them three were chosen as in Mark 9:2 and from the three, one was chosen. That One is John who is referred to as John the beloved. The Scripture says in John 20:2, "so she came running to Simon Peter and other disciple, the one Jesus loved." This other disciple here refers to John the beloved as in John 21: 7&20. Why John? Because he possessed all the qualities to be listed below, therefore he was most loved and preferred.

Brethren, you can be one of the "beloved" of God as well.

What qualifies you to be the "beloved" of God?

• You must be born again
• Accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour
• Surrender your life totally to Him
• You must be readily available
• Be ready to follow Him wherever He leads and sends you
• Be a sheep and accept to be led by the good shepherd
• Be totally obedient to the word and live it
• Be loyal, faithful and be committed to the work of the gospel
• You must always do the will of God and please Him in all ways
• Live a holy life and have faith in Him
• Be a soul winner and keep spreading the good news of Christ

What are the benefits of being a "beloved "of God?

• The beloved of God shall dwell in safety and The Lord shall cover him all day long. Deut 32:12
• Heaven will always be opened to you. Matt 3:17
• You will always be protected and watched over as the apple of God's eye. Ps 17: 8
• God will lavish His love on you. 1st Thes1:4.
• You will be guarded and protected. Deut 32:10-11.
• You will always be singled out for favour among others. Luke 1:28.
• The Lord will be pleased with you. Matt 3:17.
• You will be given the privilege to reign with the King of kings and The Lord of Lords. Matt 25:34.

Brethren, allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct all your endeavours and even your thoughts so that you may continually please The Lord and qualify to be a "beloved "of God.

What benefit can be greater than making it to heaven and reigning with the Almighty God? A place is reserved for you there, as the Lord says in John 14:2 ,” In my Father’s house are many mansion. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you”. Do not miss it.

PRAYER: O Father in heaven, I love and wish to be one of your beloved. Endow me with all I need to qualify me to be. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

BIBLE CHARACTERS AS ROLE MODELS

Text: Gen 32,37 & 39,  Judges 4&5, 1 Kings 3, Neh 1-13; Acts 9:36-42

A character is a person in a narrative work of arts. We are considering some Bible characters who by their actions greatly impact our Christian faith. Apart from Jesus Christ who is the central theme and main character in the Bible and whose life epitomizes total righteousness, there are other characters that are worthy of emulation and they can be considered as role models and mentors.

In the secular, we often identify successful persons using human parameters and pattern our lives along their lives. Hardly do we consider pattering our lives along some of the selected Bible characters. Yet, these were great people, whose lives can inspire us and guide us to a fulfilled Christian life. Our Lord Jesus Christ chose disciples who were always following Him and these disciples looked up to Him for mentorship. This shows that you can not be an island. You need people to look up to. Hence in this sermon we shall consider characters who have distinguished themselves from others and have excelled. I believe the combination of their good traits will help you and I to live a successful Christian life.

Few characters to consider are Dorcas, Deborah, Joseph, Nehemiah and Solomon

DEBORAH - AS AN EPITOME OF SELFLESSNESS, PATRIOTISM AND COURAGE.
Deborah, wife of Lapidoth was a prophetess, a judge and a warrior in Israel. She was one of the great women and the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. She was gifted, effective, efficient, wise, selfless, courageous and patriotic. She stood up gallantly as a leader when someone was needed to stand up and lead the people of Israel. Under her leadership, a battle was fought and won. Even Barak the Israel army leader relied so much on her when they were to go to war that he said in Judges 4:8 that he won't go to war unless Deborah went with him. Hence Deborah went with him and God gave them victory. Deborah and Barak acknowledged God with a song of praise which is referred to as Deborah's song of praise as written in Judges 5:1-2. It was composed by Deborah to thank God. Worthy of emulation about Deborah are her selflessness, patriotism, courage ,leadership qualities, and acknowledgement of God as the mighty warrior. And as a prophetess she influenced her people to live for God.

DORCAS - AS AN EPITOME OF GOOD WORKS AND ALMS DEEDS. Acts 9:36-42
Dorcas also known as Tabitha was a disciple who lived in Joppa. She was an epitome of good works and alms deeds, very kind hearted and noted for making clothing for the poor and the widows in Joppa. This was evidenced when she died and all the widows stood by, and when the disciples heard that Peter was near Joppa they urged him to come. The scripture says in Acts 9:39, "Peter went with them,and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them." Peter, through the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ, was able to bring Dorcas back to life and presented her to the believers and widows. When the news went round many people believed in the Lord. That God used Peter to bring her back to life was an evidence that God acknowledged her good works and alms deeds towards the widows and the poor.God wanted her to be alive to do more.

Brethren, what good works will be credited to you? The scripture says in James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." God wants you to love and care for these categories of people. They are so much around you. It is fulfilling righteousness to routinely show kindness to them.

JOSEPH - AS AN EPITOME OF FORGIVENESS, HUMILITY AND SELF CONROL
Joseph's brothers hated him, plotted against him and sold him into slavery. Joseph however had an opportunity to revenge especially when there was famine in the whole country and his brothers had to come to Egypt to buy grains. Joseph was the governor and in charge of grains. He immediately recognised them; he however did not use the position and power at his disposal as governor to revenge. He was so kind and generous to them. He also gave them the opportunity to reconcile with him. He demonstrated high level of forgiveness and overcame evil with good. Even when his brothers fell down before him and said "we are your slaves" Joseph said in Gen 50:19-21, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your children". Joseph reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph knew vengeance is of God and he demonstrated the spirit of forgiveness. Can you do same when it is obvious that you are being wronged? This is worthy of emulation.

Also Joseph overcame temptation and seduction from Potiphar's wife despite the chances. He did not succumb. What temptation could be greater than this?! Brethren, when you are being seduced and tempted remember how Joseph fled and left his garment in the seducer's hand. He refused to lie with Potiphar's wife despite her efforts and pranks as recorded in Gen 39:12. He said, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" His ability to control self, faithfulness to his master and commitment to God are worthy of emulation. Can you subject or put your body under control? You should be able to resist sin and flee from it in whatever direction it may be coming from.

NEHEMIAH - AS A MAN OF VISION, PURPOSE, PRAYERFULNESS and HARD WORK
Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem with the third group of exiles to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He completed it in fifty two days through perseverance and prayers and with the support of some others who were on his side. Despite opposition, mocking, ridicule, insults and threats from Samballat, Tobiah and their group, he moved on, stood firm and with prayers he was able to accomplish and he triumphed. He was used in a unique way to accomplish the purpose of rebuilding the city wall. He mobilized people to build the wall. He stood in gap for the Israelites by confessing their sins, prayed and sought God's face. Nehemiah 1:4-5 confirmed this. He relied totally on God for success. He pursued his vision,very dogged and remained undaunted. He also led his people to God and ensured that sabbath day was kept holy. He was a reformer and he also lived to please God. This character is worthy of emulation.

SOLOMON - AS AN EPITOME OF ROBUST SACRIFICIAL GIVING
He made a robust offering of one thousand burnt offerings unto The Lord. Notable about his offering was that there is no record of such again in the scriptures. His offering was acceptable and The Lord was so impressed that He gave Solomon more than his request. His offering made a way for him, that the scripture says in 1 kings 3:5, "At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you". His offering spoke for him and opened doors of blessings unto him.You too can emulate Solomon, by being a robust sacrificial giver. Try it and see what The Lord will do in return.

CONCLUSION
Beloved, the lives of the characters discussed above are worthy of emulation in areas of selflessness, godliness, good works and alms deeds, self-control, forgiveness, vision, prayerfulness, perseverance and sacrificial giving. You too can exhibit all these traits.

PRAYER
My father in heaven, make me a shining light and let my life be worthy of emulation. May my character be able to influence others positively and may your name be glorified in my life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

THE POWER IN THE WORD

Text: Gen 1:3-26, Ps 119:89, Isa 55:11, Mark 11:23, Heb 11:3

 

The Word is the message of the gospel of Christ. It is the Word of God. It is life, it is the truth. It is the sword of the spirit and a divine weapon in the hand of a believer. The Word is the greatest asset God released unto man. Treasures are hidden in God's Word and until you search, you can not discover it. It is given to you to make you victorious in life and to have a good success (Josh 1:8). The power in the Word could be seen through the creation of the world itself. The Bible says in Gen1:3, "And God said let there be light" and there was light. As in Heb 11:3, "The worlds were framed by the Word of God". God exalts His Word above His name. It never breaks and it never fails.

 

In Ps 119:89 the Bible says, "For ever o Lord your Word  is settled". You are created to rule by decree as written in Job 22:28. His Words are decrees. Failure to speak the Word to your life's situation leads to total failure in all spheres. The Word carries power, it is for a mission and it will never go void. Hence the Bible says in Isa 55: 11, "So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

 

There is potency in the Word. Expose every situation to the Word of God. Brethren, do you know that the extent God's Word will work for you depends on you? Don't go through life as a victim but a victor when the Word is there for you to speak it to situations, mountains and challenges in your life and even to confront the devil. Exercise your authority by releasing the Word with faith. It is a weapon you can use to win every battle and silence the enemy. The Bible says in 2 Tim 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth". Confess the Word daily with your mouth; confession is made unto Salvation with the mouth as written in Rom 10:10b. The Word is meant for you. Sow the Word into your life. Confess it and let it be on your lips.

 

Examples of what you need to be professing and confessing as the circumstances demand are:

(1) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Ps 23:1

(2) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of The Lord for ever. Ps 23:6

(3) There shall no evil befall me, neither shall any plague come nigh my dwelling. Ps 91:10

(4) I shall not die but live and declare the works of The Lord. Ps 118:17

(5) No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against me in judgement shall be condemned. Isa 54:17

 

As you confess the Word with faith so shall it be because power will always be released unto it. So, speak faith filled Words to your situations and don't doubt but believe. Take your stand and delete every negative pronouncement upon your life by declaring the Word and make positive pronouncement upon your life. You have to apply the Word but to be able to do that effectively you have to feed yourself with it and be filled.

 

How do you fill yourself ?

• By hearing the Word, reading it, studying it, memorising it and meditating on it.
• By digging deep into it and digesting it.
• Fill your heart with it and let it be in your mouth. The Bible says in Matt 12:34, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh".
• Give the Word a prime place in your life and it will help you dominate and make you victorious. In-stead of complaints and murmuring just speak the Word. Rule your world with the Word of God.
• Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you and in all wisdom.
• Search for the appropriate word in the Bible and apply it to your situation. It is for breakthrough, healing and deliverance. It moves mountains when combined with faith.

Let us go through the Bible and see some examples of how the Word had been used.

1) GOD SPOKE AND THERE WAS LIGHT. In Gen 1:3, God gave us an example of the power in the spoken word during creation when He said let there be light and there was light.

 

2) JESUS SPOKE TO BRING FORTH THE DEAD. In John 11:32-44, Lazarus who had died four days earlier and buried was made to come out of the grave by the spoken word. "Lazarus, come forth" and he came forth.

 

3) JESUS CURSED THE FIG TREE. In Mark 11:1-20, the Fig tree had leaves on it and Jesus thought He would get fruit to eat as He was hungry but on moving closer, He discovered there was no single fruit on it. He said in v14, "no man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" and in the following morning the fig tree dried up from the roots. It was the spoken word that affected the fig tree despite the fact that there were leaves on it before but it dried up.

4) JESUS HEALED THE LEPER WITH THE WORD. (Mark 13:8-42) In Mark 1: 42, "And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was cleansed".

 

5) AT JESUS WORD. In Luke 5:1-5, Simon with others had toiled all night to fish without a catch and were about going home frustrated when Jesus got to them and said unto Simon, "launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught", Simon obeyed and said "nevertheless at thy Word I will let down the net" and they had a great multitude of fishes and their net break. Just the spoken Word turned things around for Simon.

Jesus said in John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do." He is telling you that you can speak the Word to situations and circumstances and you will get the desired result. You can ask the mountains to move by speaking the Word.

 

6) ELIJAH SPOKE AND THERE WAS FIRE. In 2 Kings 1:1-17, when Elijah told King Ahaziah's messengers that The Lord told him he will die, he was not pleased with the message. The king sent three sets of his captains of fifty on different occasions to attack Elijah but Elijah spoke the word and fire came down to consume them. When  the captain of the first fifty asked Elijah to come down the Bible says in v10, "And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty. If I be a man of God, then, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty." The same thing happened to the second batch. The captain of the third batch plead with Elijah and he was spared with his fifty. This is an evidence to show that the word can be spoken to silence the enemy.

 

Brethren, Jesus has assured you and I that what He did with the Word we can do and even greater things, and that for ever God's Word is settled and that the word will never go void. However, for the word to have the desired result and deliver benefits to you, you must BELIEVE it, CONFESS it, LIVE it, MIX  it with FAITH, USE it APPROPRIATELY AND SKILLFULLY. Then SPEAK it with CONFIDENCE and BOLDNESS to situations, circumstances and challenges.

 

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, give me the revelation of your Word and the grace to utilise it maximally and to apply it in all my situations in Jesus name I pray. Amen

DIVINE GRACE

Text: Romans 6: 1-2, 1 Cor 5:10, 2 Cor 12: 9

Divine grace is the freely given, undeserved or unmerited goodwill, favour, mercy, privilege and love of God towards humans. It is the gift of God by which He extends His loving kindness and salvation to people. Grace is one of the characteristics of God and it is unlimited, infinite, abundant and it is in sufficient quantities.

It is by His grace that you are saved, that your sins are no more remembered and you become son and no more slave. It is a gift received at Christ's expense. Grace of God nurtures in you a desire to do good always and it makes ordinary people to become extraordinary. If there is anything to ask and pray for it should be 'divine grace'. This is because mercy, love, power, favour, forgiveness and salvation are embedded in it.

Romans 16:20 says, "The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."  You need the grace of God always. No one can successfully run the christian race without the grace of God. It is by the divine grace that Paul, a former persecutor of believers, became an apostle and was set apart for the gospel of God after conversion. Paul said in 1 Cor 15: 10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."  He said in 1 Tim 1: 14, "The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Paul was sprinkled and showered with grace. God even said His grace is sufficient for Paul as recorded in 2 Cor 12: 9. Hence all his letters to the saints always start with " Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us consider some characters in the scriptures and see how divine grace was made available to them.

MARY MOTHER OF JESUS. In Luke 1: 28-31, Mary enjoyed uncommon grace among all the women of her time. Grace of God was made available to her. Hence she was specially chosen and highly favoured by God. The scripture says in Luke 1:28, "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail,thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women". Verses 30-31, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary for thou hast found favour with God". And behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. Verse 35 says, "And the angel answered and said unto her the Holy Ghost  shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God". The mother of Jesus could have been some one else but God 's grace was bestowed upon Mary. Forever, Mary will be remembered  because the grace of God has made her to become extraordinary and outstanding among all women.

THE ADULTEROUS WOMAN. John 8: 1-12.This woman enjoyed unusual grace from Jesus. It was customary in the land that any woman cut in the act of adultery should be stoned to death according to Moses Law. But instead of condemnation, she received pardon. To those gathered and ready to stone her to death, her pardon was unusual. This could only be by divine grace. When Jesus said in verse 7, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." They left one by one until Jesus was left alone with her. Jesus said to her, "woman where are those thine accusers? Hart no man condemned thee? In verse 11, "she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I  condemn thee, go and sin no more". God's grace in one's life can reverse the irreversible and can turn condemnation to pardon and death sentence to life.

NOAH AND HIS FAMILY. Genesis 6- 9. It was also God's special grace upon Noah and his family that made them escape destruction by the flood. God's grace made him to be extraordinary. Gen 6:8, "But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord." The grace of God upon his life made him to be righteous and blameless among the people of his time. So when God wanted to destroy the earth, he set him apart. And God even made a covenant with him after the flood. Gen 9: 1 -2 say, "Then God blessed Noah and his sons saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in numbers and fill the earth.The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature  that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea, they are given into your hands." Noah definitely enjoyed God's grace and it was exceptional.

Brethren, it is grace that made Mary to be highly favoured; the adulterous woman to receive pardon; made Noah and His family to be spared from destruction and it enabled Paul to do exploits and finish well.

Do you want to enjoy God's grace? Yes, you can. We are in the period of grace. You need to passionately desire it and sincerely ask and pray for it with humility. It does not only save you from eternal death, it also saves you from a defeated and hopeless life. His grace can also make you to be outstanding and extraordinary in good deeds.

But God's grace must not be taken for granted or abused. For you to enjoy God's grace, you must be dead to sin and be alive in Christ. Romans 6:1-2 say, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? GOD FORBID!" Titus 2:11-12 say, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "NO" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."  So for you to enjoy God's grace, sin must be out of your life totally and you must shun evil and every appearance of it.

PRAYER: Father, I need your grace, kindly pour it into my life so that I can live by it and also have it in abundance to run my Christian race successfully and end well. And Father, also make me a channel of grace to others. In Jesus name. I pray. Amen.

GOD LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY

Text: John 3:16. 1 John 4:16.

Love is a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection as for a parent to a child. It is an affectionate concern for total well-being to you. It is the benevolent affection of God for his creature.

God has a benevolent affection for you as his creature. The kind of love God has for you cannot be quantified. It is unparalleled. It is an agape love. God demonstrates his love to you and me by sending his only begotten son Jesus to us. And this is confirmed by the scripture in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that who-ever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

God sent his son to come and save the world and to reconcile us with him. For this same reason, his son shed his precious blood for the atonement of your sin. You are also redeemed by the precious blood of the lamb.as confirmed in 1 Peter 1:19. 1 John 3:1says, "How great is the love the father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God”! And that is what we are! Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

He gives you privileges of sonship and access to come to him at will. He made you in his own image. He knitted you together in your mother's womb and protected you while you were in the womb. He has chosen you and the scripture says in 1 Peter 2: 9,"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging  to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness in to  his wonderful light." You have received mercy through his grace.

His thoughts towards you are thoughts of peace and not evil and he promised to give you an expected end. He gives you peace which the world cannot give you as in John 14:27 - you should not allow your hearts to be troubled and that you should not be afraid. He has taken you out of the miry clay and plant your feet on the rock. All you needed, his hand had provided. He also gives you a free gift of salvation and he saves you by his grace. He promised to be with you in whatever situation you are passing through. Hence the scripture says in Isa 43:2, "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze."

God loves you so much that he promised to stand by you, day and night. You are precious and honored in his sight because he loves you unconditionally. He has chosen you to be his treasured possession. Your name is written in the hollow of his palm. He knows the number of strands of hair on your head. He knows your name and your dwelling place. He knows your beginning and your ending. He says you should call him. Jer 33:3 says, "call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Again Matt 7:7says, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you."

Brethren God loves you unconditionally. He does not want you to perish but to have everlasting life and to reign with him in his kingdom. Do you know that God is pained when you follow those gods or worship them? God expects you to do his blessed will and accept his only begotten son as your Lord and saviour and give your life to him. He wants you to fear him, walk in all his ways and keep His commandments. He also wants you to seek his kingdom first and his righteousness as in Matt 6:33. God is happy when you praise and worship him. All these you can do to reciprocate his love. He loves you and he cares for you.  What a loving and caring father you have.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for loving me so much and unconditionally. Please, grant me the grace to love you back with all my heart and soul and the grace to surrender my life totally to Jesus as he died for me in Jesus name I pray. Amen