AND WALK IN LOVE

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. Ephesians 5:12

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 155-157

 What is the definition of love? According to 1 John 4:8, God is love. The bible goes further to tell us about the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 , love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy , is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not arrogant; it is not rude, does not act unbecomingly. Love is not self – seeking; it takes not account of the evil done to it. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when righteousness and truth prevail and so on and so forth.

The bible then goes further again to tell us that love is showing mercy. One of the names of our Lord is Merciful and Gracious God (Exodus 34:6).  A loving person shows mercy. If God is merciful, then love is showing mercy because God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is giving. John 3:16 says For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. A loving person is not stingy. Love is obedience to the word of God.  John 14:15 says if you love me, keep my commandments. Many children claim they love their parents but they disobey them. Do you love your parents (spiritual and physical)? Many say honey I love you but they are not submissive to their heads (husbands). Love is sacrifice. John 15:13 says greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You claim to love your wife, what have you giving up for her? You claim to love your family, what you have sacrificed for them? You claim to love Christ, what are others holding on to that you have given up because of Christ?

Love is an internal thing. It is a thing of the heart. Love is a fruit of the regenerated human spirit. Galatians 5:22 saysBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,etc. Romans 5:5 says And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.You cannot truly love except you give your life to Christ. It is impossible to love without been born again because love is a fruit of the spirit and one cannot exhibit the fruit of the spirit without being genuinely saved.  Love is soul winning. A loving person will be uncomfortable when he sees people going to hell. The love of Christ will compel him or her to share Christ with them.

QUESTION: The year is running to an end, how many souls have you led to Christ? When was the last time you invited someone to church? When was the last time you prayed and fasted for the unsaved people in your community? Many of us are asking to God to do this and do that, the Lord is asking us this morning, how many people have you shared Christ with?

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.

THE JOY OF THE LORD

Nehemiah 8:10 says do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
There is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is an emotion directly related to the circumstances that are currently happening. Joy biblically is not an emotion. Joy is an attitude of the heart. Joy is something that lasts; happiness is something that is temporary. When we overcome a difficult challenge(through the power of God)  what we feel is not happiness but joy.  What the widow of Nain experienced after Jesus brought her son back to life in Luke 7:11-17 was joy not happiness. What the Psalmist was describing in Psalm 126:1 when he said when the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion we were like those who dream was joy not happiness. I remember when I was writing my final year project. The recommended time of the project was at least four months. For one reason or the other I registered very late partly because I sustained a deep laceration to my left palm and could not type. By the time my proposal was approved I had only two months to do a project that should take a full time students four months to complete. I started the project; I would go to work during the day and write my project at night. At times while walking, I will fall asleep. I remember one early morning I was walking by a busy road; because I did not sleep through the night I began to sleep while walking. While sleep walking I began to edge towards the busy road. There was a huge truck behind me approaching at a ridiculous high speed. Because I was so tired, I did not even hear the sound of the truck .As I was about to step into the front of this rushing truck I hit my leg on huge bollard and I woke up. If not for the bollard I would have walked into this truck and that would have been the end but we thank God.  Any way I tried my best to meet the extended deadline for the submission of the project but I missed it. When I called to explain my situation, I was told submissions for the project is now closed. I thought to myself, after going through sleepless nights and almost killed by a truck, I would have to wait till next semester? I said no. I prayed and went to the school, when I got to the school the lady that attended to me  just took the project from me and put it where other projects were kept. What I experienced that day was deep joy not  happiness .
 A lot of things makes God happy like singing praises, offerings, doing  good works to mention a few. But nothing brings God joy like people receiving salvation. Luke 15:10 says there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.  Salvation cost Jesus His life on the cross and it cost God too – His only son. Every time we bring Him joy by winning souls, He gives us strength to do more. It is in this strength that we go and possess the gate of our enemies; it is in this strength that we live in perfect health and not in sickness. It is in this strength that we get to the top and permanently remain there. Do you want this strength? Begin to win souls.
 ACTION POINT: Make up your mind today that you will be one of the very few people that will bring God joy from time to time.

Arise

Sunday 19 August                              Bible in one year: 2 Kings 18-21

Memorise: Arise, Shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1

Isaiah 60:1 says Arise. Arise is a command. God is not begging,pleading or advising you to arise. This is an order coming form the Commander-in-chief of the heavenly hosts.The command to arise can mean different things to different people depending on their present spiritual location or situation. If you are already dead, arise could mean come back to life.That was the kind of order Jesus gave to Jairus’s dead child (Mark5:35-42).In any way you are spiritually dead, today hear your Master’s command, Arise! On the other hand, to the sleeping arise could mean wake up. When the Lord took Peter,James and John with Him to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane in Mark 14:40-42, they were sleeping because their eyes were heavy. So the Lord told them to wake up. Are you sleeping spiritually? In the name of Jesus , arise today!

If you were not dead or asleep but sitting , arise could mean stand up and begin to move. In John 14:30-31, the disciples were sitting as Jesus talked with them. If you are sitting, it means there is work to be done but you are yet to do them. Are you procrastinating over the souls you should win to the kingdom? Arise. Are there pending jobs for you to do? Arise! But if you already on your feet,what does arise mean? it could mean to jump into action. For instance, when Samuel came to the house of Jesse in 1 Samuel 16:11-13 , and could not find God’s choice there , he said nobody should sit down until David was brought from the backside of the desert. By his orders to arise; he was saying move into action now. Are you already on your feet in certain areas? God is saying put in more effort ,more life, and more time to get a better results. What if you are not just standing but already walking? To you , arise means start running like David did towards Goliath(1 Samuel17:48). But if you are already running, to arise means grab some wings and do some flying.A woman delivered a baby in Revelation 12:13-16 and was being chased by the dragon so she arose by getting wings and soaring high above its reach. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says you should move from glory to glory. Wherever you are , God is saying to you ,arise!

PRAYER POINT:  Father,wherever i am presently located, help me to arise and make a difference in your kingdom.

Excerpts from Open Heavens by Pastor E.A Adeboye