SATURDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2015

The Limits Of Oppressors

-PSALM 94:1-11

Today, there are many international, government and non- governmental organizations that campaign or fight against injustice and oppression. Many of them are genuinely concerned about the atrocities going on in the world. Unfortunately, despite these political, legal and social solutions, injustice still prevails. This is because the problem of injustice and oppression lies beyond these solutions. Ironically, some of the anti-oppression crusaders themselves engage in oppressive activities. The prevalence and promotion of evil in the world often causes the righteous to employ the kind of petition found in today’s text. The preceding verses acknowledge God as the Source of retributive justice and mercy, and appeal to Him as the great Judge of the earth, for redress. Notice the familiar observations about the wicked: they are exultant because of their worldly success. They oppress and exploit the helpless with impunity. They have atheistic orientation and a wrong notion of God. It is dangerous to emulate ungodly, oppressive and proud people of this world. They have no regard for God’s holy standard or judgment because they willfully deny His involvement in the affairs of men or even His existence. They do not understand that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment. They need to understand that not only does “he that teacheth man knowledge” know all things and understand the vain thoughts of men, but will judge them at last. Believers need not despair for these things nor get discouraged by the persecution from arrogant oppressors. Oppression has limited time. This is a golden time to prayerfully reach them with the only means of salvation – the gospel of Christ.
Thought for the day: Atheism is a pretence that only exist on earth; not in hell.

SUNDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2015

Mighty In God’s Hands

-ROMANS 16:1-16
Key Verse: “That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also” (Romans 16:2).

God is at His best when He uses things we view as commonplace to accomplish extraordinary feats. For instance, He took the inarticulate and hesitant Moses to free millions of Israelites from centuries of bondage. Today’s Scripture reading shows a display of divine attention on saved women who served in God’s kingdom. As Apostle Paul ends his epistle to the Church in Rome, the Holy Spirit led him to reveal the simple people God raised to support His Work. Only the couple - Aquilla and Priscilla, appear to be well known; others are silent workers. Among them are no less than eight women. Despite their social status as “weaker vessels”, God used them to render special services to the Church and the kingdom of heaven. Paul did not hide his commendation for their work. In the case of Phebe, who delivered the letter to the Romans from Corinth, Paul asked for unique hospitality for her. Describing Phebe as “our sister”, he urges the church in Rome to “receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of; for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also” (verse 1,2). Phebe and other saints, including women may have been in the background. They may not have been numbered among the regular apostles. But they did not just make up the crowds. They worked tirelessly in the church to make God notice them for a mention in the Bible. They were committed to God’s work and evangelism. The exemplary service they rendered should challenge us to seek to please God and not expect the applause of men. We are not to operate by man’s standards. It is God who gives us the unction; we must meekly function by His laws. There should also be no competitive spirit in our midst if our goal is heaven.
Thought for the day: God is looking for ordinary people He would use to do the extraordinary.

MONDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2015

The Great Banquet

-REVELATION 19:6-10

Key Verse:
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God" (REVELATION 19:7,9).

He had scrupulously hatched a plot to have a group of people completely exterminated. He must have felt convinced that the plot was woven in iron-cast secrecy. Then there was this banquet to which he was invited as a special guest. While the wining and dinning was in full swing, Haman’s plot to exterminate the Jews was exposed. The banquet turned out to be his waterloo. Earthly banquets at best serve carnal purposes. Both in the Old and New Testaments, most banquets had been used as occasions for vicious acts. King Herod used the occasion of the birthday party he organized for his lords to behead John the Baptist. Queen Esther’s banquet was to expose Haman’s plot against the Jews. But there is a great and unique banquet that is to hold at the end of time, different from the banquets of the world. It is a Messianic banquet, the marriage supper of the Lamb, during which the patriarch and all the righteous will be guests. The bride is the Church (the body of believers). The event would be the culmination of human history. The bride’s clothing would be the righteousness of the saints standing in sharp contrast to the filthy clothing of the great LovePeddler (Revelation 17:4; 18:16). At rapture, the church will be taken away to meet with the Lord in the air to celebrate at the marriage supper of the Lamb. It will be a magnificent banquet that the finite mind of man cannot comprehend now. It will unveil the Saviour as the full and central focus of God’s revelation and His saints as partakers of His eternal glory. We are saved not by works but by grace. Even today, grace is available to the sincere seeker. As you read this, make a lifetime decision to surrender your life to Jesus and live a consistent Christian life to be qualified to be a guest at the awe-inspiring great banquet.
Thought for the day: Labour not for the bread which perisheth.

TUESDAY, 01 DECEMBER

A Privileged Offering

-EXODUS 25:1-22
Key Verse:
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering” (Exodus 25:2).

Man, by nature, is full of absurdities. He always likes to receive good things. In spite of God’s benevolence toward him, he is most unwilling to give unless it is extracted from him. But for a person that will walk with God acceptably, he will not only accept to give, he should be ready to give willingly, for such attitude makes the offering acceptable to God. In our text, God instructed Moses to tell the people of Israel to bring their offering, but made it clear that only those offered willingly were to be taken on His behalf. The offering was to be deployed in the worship and service of God, and in building a sanctuary unto Him. God’s work, however, suffers a lot today because many worshippers do not give to God and when they do, they do so reluctantly and sparingly. Such worshippers sometimes harbour the erroneous belief that whatever they give goes to church leaders and founders. But God makes it clear here that whatever is brought to His house is meant for Him. His commandment in Malachi is a further proof of the divine ownership of tithes and offerings: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house…” (Malachi 3:10). It then implies that those who give to God are promoting or sponsoring His work. Besides, those who pay their tithes and offerings are also honouring God (Proverbs 3:. If you want to be prosperous in a manner that glorifies God, become a cheerful and bountiful giver from today.
Thought for the day: It is a privilege to give to God.

SUNDAY, 27 DECEMBER

Not The Ultimate Goal-

ECCLESIASTES 12:8-14*Key Verse:*" “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)."

Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher, founded the school of thought that proclaimed the pursuit of boily pleasure as the greatest good. He claimed that the absence of pain constituted the highest form of happiness that should be the objective of man. He and his followers believed that this ideology would lead to a state of tranquility and freedom from fear. How sadly wrong they were! Because more than 600 years earlier, a king of Israel who had swum in wanton affluence and pleasure proved the tragedy and futility of life without holiness and God. According to Jewish tradition, King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes during his last years of life, after he had seen the worthlessness of materialism as a way to happiness. The son of the great King David, Solomon inherited massive affluence. He went on to experience power, honour, fame and sensual pleasure, marrying 700 wives and keeping 300 concubines. But it was all empty existence and disillusion. He did not derive any joy in all these carnal possessions. This explains the occurrence of the word “vanity” 37 times in the book of Ecclesiastes. Yet, despite the underlining pessimism of this intensely personal book, Solomon concludes by foreshadowing the crux of Jesus’ teaching about 1000 years later. We should not store up treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19-21,24). It is senseless to gain the whole world and forfeit one’s soul (Matthew 16:26). A man’s life is not weighed by materialism (Luke 12:15). We should not trust in riches if we are believers in eternal life which comes through Jesus (1 Timothy 6:17).*Thought for the day: *A life apart from Christ is a life torn apart.

MONDAY, 28 DECEMBER

Just Obey-

HEBREWS 13:16-25"Key Verse:*“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." (HEBREWS 13:17).*"
Instructions are hard to obey. In every society, there are laws that must be obeyed by every citizen; failure to do so attracts punishments. Whether in religious or circular world, there are laid-down rules that are not negotiable. A society that is full of rebels cannot move forward. Anti-social behaviours anywhere in the world constitute serious distraction to authorities. By the same token, when there are rebellious members of the church, the work of the Lord suffers. In the text, Paul the apostle sternly warns against any attitude that could amount to rebellion in the church. He urge members to “obey them that have the rule over...” them. He noted that if by any act of disobedience the leaders fail in their duties, it would be unprofitable for the disobedient followers. Nowadays, there are many rebellious people in the church who oppose every decision by the authorities. There are those who constitute themselves as a destabilizing force within establishments. It ought not to be so. Some people think they can do whatever pleases them and get away with it, but the Scripture is clear on the dire consequences of putting a wedge against the progress of God’s work. Like the children of Israel who resisted Moses on their way to the Promised Land and received a recompense for their disobedient actions, even so shall those who constitute a stumbling-block for others on their journey to heaven receive punishment for their destabilising actions. However, the Bible is replete with God’s promises to those who obey Him. He never changes. All He wants is a life of obedience and cooperation with leaders He has appointed over us. When we do, we shall reap abundant blessings here and hereafter.*Thought for the day: *Obedience brings blessing.

TUESDAY, 29 DECEMBER

Let Go!

-ISAIAH 43:18-21"Key Verse:*“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert" (ISAIAH 43:19).*"
It is said that he who sits down to recount his past failures and disappointments increases his sorrows. Looking back causes him to lose focus and faith in God. Our text deals with God’s unfathomable love and mercy towards Israel. The people had ceaselessly sinned through abominable idolatry and disobedience. They dishonoured His commandments and went into spiritual harlotry; neither did they heed God’s warning through His prophets. But as His people repented and returned to Him, He assured them, “I will do hhwa new thing; now it shall spring forth... I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” (verse 19). He also gave them a charge, “remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old” (verse 18). There was going to be a new time of forgiveness, blessing, restoration and God’s abiding presence if they could put the past behind them and focus on the present and God’s ability to make the future better. Today, believers who have gone astray and away from the Lord are called upon to return to their God. Sinners outside the fold of Christ are required to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. Together, we are to be witnesses of the grace of God and the great provision He has made for us. This we can do effectively if we take our minds off our past failures and disappointments. Your future is as bright as the promises of God.*Thought for the day: *Each day is new for the believer, signalling a new dawn.*Bible Reading in one Year:*EZEKIEL 43 - 44

WEDNESDAY, 30 DECEMBER

A Grand Rebellion-

REVELATION 19:17-21"Key Verse:*“And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:21).*"
From the remotest point of antiquity, men have longed for and talked about a golden age, a utopia, an age of peace and justice and righteousness, a time when oppression and war will cease. Poets have written about it. Folk singers still sing about it. Politicians promise it. Prophets predict it. Most people cry for it. But no one can actualize it but Christ. From our text, King Jesus comes to destroy the ungodly and to take His elect from all over the universe into His Kingdom. This comes at the end of the Great Tribulation according to Matthew chapter 24. When all of the judgments pronounced in our text are complete, then the King comes to defeat the Antichrist and his prophet. Christ is coming back to destroy all the ungodly who refused His lordship over them. Those who reject His message and redemption today and follow Satan in his rebellion should expect His judgment at the end of their lives. The story of the fall of man in the garden of Eden was Satan’s first attempt to co-opt man into his group of rebels. Since then, man has been deceived into various acts of rebellion as the devil urges him on. The army which the Antichrist will bring together from every part of the earth will be his biggest act of rebellion; yet, they shall be utterly crushed and Christ shall set up His millennial kingdom. This kingdom will not be a coalition of governments, but an absolute one with an absolute Monarch. It will be the best regime ever. You can begin to prepare now to be part of that kingdom where sin, sickness and Satan shall be shut out; but there shall be absolute peace and joy for all who served the King of kings and Lord of lords when they were on earth.*Thought for the day: *Rebellion damns; avoid it.

THURSDAY, 31 DECEMBER

Hope Of His Calling

-EPHESIANS 1:15-23"Key Verse:*“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18).*"
The Book of Ephesians declares two basic themes: how the true seeker is redeemed and how the redeemed should now live his new life. Therefore, Paul the apostle seeks to strengthen their faith and spiritual foundation by revealing the fullness of God’s eternal purpose in Christ Jesus. The Apostle’s prayer for the Ephesian believers reflects God’s highest desire for every believer in Christ: that the Spirit will work in them in a greater measure so that they may receive more wisdom, revelation and knowledge concerning God’s redemptive purposes for present and future salvation. And, for the believer to make progress in grace, advance victoriously over Satan and witness effectively to the lost world, he must always have God’s power abiding in him. Being thus enlightened, the Christian believer progressively recognizes the priceless value of his salvation and the treasure he is to God. Having tasted of God’s power through conversion, he devotes Himself more to receiving from God and obtaining strength for daily living. As the believer awaits the coming of his Saviour, he devotes his life to sharing the good news of salvation with people around him, extends a helping hand to those struggling with life’s challenges, engages in activities that touch people’s lives and ensures he lives a holy life before his Lord. By these, he shall be drawn daily into deeper understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom, growing in the grace that comes through Christ.*Thought for the day: *Our calling is for the glory yet to come.

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