damilarelr: In as much this message could be difficult to swallow I hope you get to read it again the day you come to the realisation of this truth.

I am not even swallowing it talk less of having diffculty to do so. The Word of God (Jesus) is truth and life already. The Holy Spirit guides us in all truth as well. You are the one trying to claim you know better than those who asked Jesus to teach them how to pray and Jesus teaching them 'IN THE MANNER' to. I think this has been well explained here. It is not a must for you to accept it.
You gave some valid scriptures but it no way negates what Jesus said. Simple.

damilarelr:
If God can release His only Son to die for us all even when we're still in the devil's camp..(we even killed Him), what else do you think you can do to please Him or get your prayer answered? All we need is to accept God's love and live a life pleasing to Him. That's all, "the Lord's prayer" or not, there's no point in trekking when you have a free bus ticket.

If that is all ...."'Lord's prayer' or not", why write an epistle as if the 'Lord's prayer' affects accepting God's love and living a life pleasing to him? It is amazing the angle this is coming from now.

damilarelr: I have this for you; why do you still fast as a believer, is it to get God's attention or to give Holy Spirit dominion of your flesh? your responses would be appreciated.
Thanks you all for your comments. They are highly appreciated.

Fasting is a means to humble yourself in the sight of God....that is all I will say.
You have the bible so you can do your studies to confirm or reject my statement.


@Jman05,
I did not make a mistake in my post. And you are under no obligation to accept my post either. Thanks.

Joshthefirst: okay ma'm. Thanks

You are welcome.
As @Bidam said, it is a pattern, a manner, a fashion, so whether you pray it exactly like that or not is not the issue. Saying it should not be prayed at all or is not for believers is the issue. We can pray all kinds of prayers to God.

Reyginus: From experience it doesn't do that.
What it does has always being making the scripture appear loose and illogical.
It is not even a discussion in the first place.

From my experience, I study more and gain more insights. So it depends on perception. Thank you.

JMAN05:
He could be called a God but not the almighty God. two Gods are mentioned there. one the word/begotten son while the other is a Father.

Whatever rocks your boat. The scripture is as clear as day. One is the Father and the other is the Son and they are both God. Very simple for me to understand. Thanks.

Joshthefirst: yes he is the word of God...
But was the lords prayer part of the agreement he put forward between us and the father?

Jesus the Word of God testament was wholly enforced at His death but it did not limit His working while alive for He forgave sins even before He died. Matthew 9:6.

And the disciples used the name of Jesus even before His death. Luke 10:17.

So when Jesus tells us a manner to pray, do not think it is not relevant because 'in Jesus name' was not added for you are already praying through Jesus as a believer. When we pray in the Holy Spirit or we pray the word of God as a believer, we are praying in Jesus name. I really do not know how else to explain it to you.

Joshthefirst: hmmmm.
But what about the lords prayer? When Jesus taught them that prayer, his name was not yet exalted.?

You may as well say all Jesus said before He died is not relevant then using this same basis you are bringing.

Is that not why He also died partly to ratify the agreement and make valid His testament? I though we had discussed this before. Jesus was not speaking of Himself, all he said was direct from God. He is the Word of God

Reyginus: Another argument that will end up with people throwing verses around.

A discussion that will make us search the scriptures more, more like.

@Joshthefirst,
I understand your point.
The person bearing the name Jesus Himself gave us a manner of prayer to pray. So is the whole reason why that prayer is no more of relevance to you is because 'in Jesus name' is not there? Possibly you may not realise that that very manner of prayer is 'in Jesus name' already for it was Jesus that gave us that manner to pray. So anyone who wants to pray can as well finish it with 'in Jesus name I pray' to be rest assured then.
It seems you have brought a new angle to this o.

When I say God bless you, please believe it is in Jesus name, even if I did not add 'in Jesus name'.

@Joshthefirst,
We do not even know how to pray but the Holy Spirit enables us. The thing to note there is that Jesus said 'In this manner therefore pray', it is all about the manner of prayer for He put praise, honour & thanksgiving first before any other prayer and that is how Jesus often started His prayers. Jesus noted valid points for prayer there that we can emulate if we do not even say it as exactly as He said it there.

If anyone decides to pray exactly that way in today, there really is nothing wrong as well for all prayers are to be prayed in the name of Jesus.

We pray all manner of prayers to God Eph 6:18 and this is inclusive.

What I find so strange is where you said the prayer is not to be prayed now. Hmmmmm. Let us be careful with such words o.

MEILYN: please. U are not wise neither are you enlightened. You wouldnt say something like the bolded if u are wise. Stop misleading people..

The wise and enlightened thing to have done is to realise the scriptures beside the bolded was not for decoration:

John 1:1,14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD.
14 And the WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld HIS GLORY, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Now that is wisdom divine.

I understand, its Nairaland afterall.

30 Oct 2013

GRACE AT HOME (2)

‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…’

2 Corinthians 5:17

Here are three more steps to treating your spouse with grace:

1) See them as God created them to be. Focusing on your partner’s flaws doesn’t help either of you. The Pharisees saw only the worst in the woman caught in adultery. Jesus didn’t minimise her sin, but chose to see what she could become through grace. ‘I don’t condemn you. Go, and stop what you’re doing’ (John 8:11). Grace enables you to see beyond your spouse’s upsetting ways and work with God in helping them become the ‘new creature’ He’s called them to be.

2) Celebrate them. Too often we try to impose on our spouse our desired image of them. We resent them and insist they change, see it our way, and do things to our required standard. If they don’t, we think they’re inconsiderate, unloving, and even un-Christian. Grace doesn’t operate that way! It understands, accepts, forgives, and leaves changing others up to God. Try telling yourself, ‘Yes, that annoys me, but I wonder what God’s trying to work out in my spouse.’ Then step back, love and accept them and let God work on them.

3) Forgive them. Your spouse will irritate you at times because of what they are. We’re all different. She thinks she’s detailed; he thinks she’s nit-picking. He thinks he’s laid-back; she thinks he’s lazy. We act out the image we hold of ourselves, and that’ll change only when God changes it! Acknowledge your intolerance and forgive your partner’s irritating behaviour—even before they do it again. That’s ‘pre-emptive forgiveness,’ the kind that denies resentment, a toehold on your marriage.

Is 30-33, Jn 7:14-24, Ps 104:1-23 , Prov 28:5-8.

This is the Word for Today



@odunharry,
That is good. It is good to know it all went well and you are fine. May you be fully made while in Jesus name.
Today's word is really powerful, we really need more of His grace to help the married since the devil is really fighting homes now.

The day people realise that Jesus came as God in the flesh (John 1:1,14) and the full embodiment of the Holy Spirit of grace and truth especially when He walked on earth (John 1:33), people will start respecting Jesus more.

I am sure the way Jesus taught us in what manner to pray did not start and end with 'our Father in heaven' and 'forgive us now our tresspasses'.
Besides Our Father is in heaven, is this even disputed? So what really is the issue in reiterating this?
Is it not strange for people who have been forgiven by God and have the Holy Spirit helping them to be perfect to even harbour unforgiveness against their neighbour? Is that not already holding iniquity in one's heart?

Let us be very careful when handling the Word of God and making statements.

A word is enough for the wise.

@Tbaby4real,
Please meditate on the word of God in Isaiah 49.


@Udopauly,
shun ma!

Esther 9:1-2
1  NOW IN the twelfth month, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of Adar when the king’s command and his edict were about to be executed, on the [very] day that the enemies of the Jews had planned for a massacre of them, it was turned to the contrary and the Jews had rule over those who hated them.
2  The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on such as sought their hurt; and no man could withstand them, for the fear of them had fallen upon all the peoples.

1. Lord Jehovah, on the very day enemies plan to massacre me or the lives in me, let it work contrary to their plan and let me have rule over them. For the bible says You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Ps. 23:5a. Any counsel of Ahitophel against me, my family or my pregnancy, let it fail and instead work out for my good.
2. Lord Jehovah, anything or anyone that has been placed whether on my path, in the hospital, my office, my home or family to cause my hurt, 'let their heart cut/fail them/be full of fear' because of YOU that I have on my inside and let them be unable withstand me.
3. On the day of my delivery, let me be surrounded with helpers sent specially to assist the smooth delivery of the precious gifts you have given me for your blessings make me rich and adds no sorrow.
Amen.

@ayoku,
Thanks so much for those insights and the deeper revelations to the feast...It was after a read a post on yours on another thread on feasts I got better understanding to the significance of the feasts...truly God had the truth of it long before...it was not just about the letters.
With the Word of God we gain new insights everyday even on the same scriptures, that is part of why the Word of God is symbolised as a doubled-edged sword.

The apostles often gave us insights mostly based on their revelations....but it is still the same Spirit....I Corinthians 12:9. Jesus is truly the Spirit so we too can study and gain much more truths.

For me I was looking at the order in which Apostle John stated the three bearing witness to how directly the communication came from God throughout the bible:
In verse 7, we see the order of the witness in heaven...Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost seeing how communication came from above...the Father direct when we see the accounts of the garden of Eden, Abraham, Enoch, the Israelites on Horeb up till when the WORD was made flesh and spoke to the people during Jesus physical presence on earth and then the Holy Spirit, another Comforter sent that abides with us foreverand guides us in all truth of the word and all agree, none contradicting.

In verse 8, we see the order of the witness on earth of the Spirit that moved upon the face of the waters just before creation then the WORD (water) came 'Let there be light'. This just means before the WORD (water) comes, there is the Spirit that is at work behind that Word..II Cor. 3:17. Have we ever considered why the Spirit was first moving over the waters and how come light came instantly at the Word? And then the Blood that came after the Word signifying the everlasting voice that speaks mercy, life, light! The blood is the last as detailed and cannot be denied. All three speak and agree as well.


The 'edges are a little rough' but there is a reason for the order John was inspired to write the witnesses in heaven and earth.

ayoku777:

The Spirit, the water and the blood. So true

Yes, I got some more understanding regarding the verse I John 5:7-8 some days back.

@Bidam and Candour,
I think I like the way this your discussion turned out in the sense that everyone gets to see where they have an issue to work on. I take this as a lesson therefore.

At the end of the day the words of the Master Jesus Christ never fails and are Spirit and Truth to the end. Every other person whether the apostles and present day ministers as well as us will all stand before the Master Jesus to give account of our lives on earth.
Let us ensure we uphold the Word of God over every circumstance. With this, irrrespective of whatever anyone says, like the bereans who went to confirm from scriptures if Paul's words were true, we too will have the Word of God to fall back on, not the words of man.

@OP,
Indeed true trust and waiting on God involves complete peace and rest in Him as you said. It is total release to the Almighty.

When I saw your post I thought it would be on the scripture below as it aptly captures the message:

Hosea 6:1-3
1 Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3 Then shall we know, if 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

Thank you @Odunharry, it is heartwarming to see how we are all blessed by this devotional and each of us makes effort to share . Today's word is particularly insightful.
Remain blessed.
Are you recovered well from the surgery?

@Rebekkah,
I remember the days I used to eagerly read ahead the next days devotional of our daily bread, because it was so easy to relate to. I do not have the hard copy anymore, and did not even think to check it online so it is really nice to get the daily nuggets here.
Thanks for this and God bless you.

@ayoku777,
thanks for those posts. When we give our lives to Christ and grow more and more in Jesus living the 3 that bears witness on earth, that is, the Spirit, the water (the Word) and the Blood, we walk in dominion and exercise the authority Christ has given us.
We need to really know who we are in Christ for he who is in Christ has started living Eternal Life.

Speak Words of Life and Health

Monday, 28 October 2013

'Gentle words cause life and health...' Proverbs 15:4

James writes, 'If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.' (James 1:26) The poet wrote, 'Oh I say the things that I never should, just want to be heard or I never would. Talk on and on and know it's wrong; the trouble is, my tongue's too long.' So how can you control your tongue's negative propensity? Engage it positively. How?

(1) Be an encourager! 'Gentle words cause life and health.' Your words can help a hopeless person keep on living and motivate a sick loved one to fight illness and become whole. Encouragers are God's frontline against defeat, despair and depression!

(2) Speak the truth in love. Saying what needs to be heard is often hard, but being a friend requires saying difficult things. 'Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.' (Proverbs 27:6) Truth spoken in love can release people from their delusions, misperceptions and inflexibility to live free, productive lives. (John 8:32)

(3) Ask God for the right words. 'The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable...' (Proverbs 10:32) How do you know what words the hearer will accept? Let God be your guide.

(4) Make your words life-giving. 'The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.' (Proverbs 13:14) The people you meet need words that turn them from spiritual death to eternal life. So today, speak words of life and health.


SoulFood: Is 22-25, John 6:52-71, Ps 127, Pr 27:25-27

This is the Word for Today

How Quickly They Grow!

Sunday, 27 October 2013

'...Make every minute count.' Ephesians 5:16

Do you remember wishing your children were grown up? Suddenly you're amazed at how quickly it's happening. The truth is, they'll soon be gone, leaving the place feeling deserted and quiet. Bob Benson puts it poignantly: 'I pass a lot of houses on my way home; some pretty, some inviting. But my heart skips a beat when I see my house nestled against the hill. I'm especially proud of the way it looks because I drew the plans myself. It started out large enough for us. I even had a study, in which two teenage boys now reside! It had a guest room, but my girl and nine dolls are permanent guests there now. It had a room for Peg, who hoped to turn it into her sewing room. But two boys swinging on the Dutch door have claimed that room. Right now it appears I'm not much of an architect. But it'll get larger again. One by one they'll go away to college, work, the service, their own homes. Then there'll be room: a guest room, a sewing room, a study, just for the two of us. But it won't be empty. Every corner, room, nick in the coffee table will be full of memories. Memories of picnics, Christmases, birthdays, bedside vigils...going barefoot, holidays, cats, dogs, black eyes...graduations, first dates, arguments, ball games...and a thousand other things that fill the lives of those who bring up five kids. And Peg and I will sit quietly by the fire and listen to the laughter in the walls.' Childhood and youth evaporate swiftly. So fill them with loving, wonderful, sustaining memories. 'Make every minute count.'


SoulFood: Ruth 1:8-18, Ruth 2:5-12, Ruth 3:1-6, Ruth 4:9-13


This is the Word for Today

^^^^^^^^thanks for this series on confession. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be accepted in God's sight as I live daily renewing my heart in Christ and by His grace. Amen.

Pink22,
Congrats dear. May the Lord perfect this good work after the testimony and may you deliver safely. No more loss. Amen.

@OP,
Thanks for this post. Believing and confessing go hand in hand. I see confession as actions because what we believe in our hearts, we profess in words and actions irrespective of man's opinions.
The thief on the cross did not just acknowledge his sin but He went on to confess the believe He had in His heart to Jesus telling Jesus to remember him in His kingdom because He believed Jesus to be the son of God. That confession saved him.
Luke 23:39-43

We also see at the beginning of creation, God SPOKE to create the word. Confession is important.
May we receive grace to confess Jesus in all we say and do.

shdemidemi:
Matthew 18:18 is the only place in the bible where we see this statement;

@OP,
Please before you paste these types of statements, please do your own study:

Matthew 16:18-19
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

In as much as so many things have been abused, we should try not in our bid to prove knowledge make it worse.

Jesus was saying He was giving us authority to overcome all the powers of the enemy. Since Jesus could loose people tormented by devils and cast them out, why can't Christians? It is a simple as that. Matthew 12:28-29.

And where you talked about picking and choosing, was it not you that said Jesus words were meant for the Jews not for 'Christians'?

Let me break it down for you, if you do not believe and obey the words of Jesus, you are not His disciple.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (2)


Saturday, 26 October 2013

'Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous...' Psalm 139:14

So, how should you view the role of your physical appearance?
(1) With gratitude. Thank God for the unique person He created you to be. You're not the result of random genetics. You're a genuine 'one-off', designed by God to fill a slot no one else can fill. He is what makes you who you are! 'You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.' (Psalm 139:13) 'Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous.' You didn't come from an assembly line like some product designed to fulfil a quota. No, you received the detailed, individualised focus of the Divine Architect. The Psalmist said, 'You watched me as I was being formed... as I was woven together in...the womb.' (Psalms 139:15) Now, that's attention at the highest level, right? So give God thanks: you were created, inspected and approved in Heaven before you moved a muscle on earth.
(2) With understanding. Discover God's purpose for your life. You weren't designed to impress others or to seek their approval. In God's eyes, your looks are not the measure of your worth. '...The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' (1 Samuel 16:7) Start seeing yourself as God sees you. Ultimately, His opinion is the only one that matters. Indeed, '...He decided in advance that [His people] would be conformed to the image of His Son...' (Romans 8:29) Rejoice! God won't be finished working on you until He's made you just like Jesus.


SoulFood: Is 17-21, John 6:35-51, Ps 98, Pr 27:23-24

This is the Word for Today

@Bidam,
As a build on your post, Confessing Jesus should be in our words and our actions as well. Jesus gave us the perfect example when He kept saying 'it is written' when facing the devil.
Confession/Professing is very key in the life of every believer as this makes us take full ownership of what we have been given by God.

It is really not surprising seeing how people just say things using head knoweldge when it was clearly written that JESUS FULFILLED THE LAW. He is the WORD OF GOD in flesh. He never broke any law for He came to tell us the mind of God concerning all he had said as far back as when he gave His laws. He gave us the LAW OF THE SPIRIT and that was how he spoke and acted the law while He was on earth.


As @Josh quoted, 'That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit'. Very simple. Every law has the righteousness (truth) of why it was given hidden behind a veil of letters. Anyone who cannot see it will miss it.

Gombs:

He has a perfect plan..always



The bold there actually means our SALVATION. By Christ's redemtive work we overcame the Devil



I'm sure you meant Abel.
Jesus' blood speaks mercy for the whole world before God. Aint that wonderful?




Umm...

Hebrews 4:16
King James Version (KJV)
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace , that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.


A saint don't need plead the blood, all he need do is come BOLDLY ( 1 John 1:9 KJV - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
) before the throne of grace...to OBTAIN mercy, obtain mercy is not same as beg for mercy.



Salvation is confessing with one's mouth the lordship of Jesus AND believing in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead...we don't continually confess to salvation by Jesus' blood, after salvation, we work out that salvation. Communion is remembering that work on the cross, that is not same as "continually confess to salvation"


God bless u

Yes thanks I meant Abel. Forgive that error.

We come boldly to the throne to obtain mercy because there is godly sorrow to know we did wrong. Don't see 'plead' as some sort of grovelling.

We continually confess what we believe in our heart, that is simply what I meant and confessing Jesus is continuous not some one-off passive event. That is where many miss it. They think belief and confession is just when you initially got born again. The word of the tesimony of the saints was not a one-off event either. Believeing and confessing is continuous as long as we say 'it is written' just as Jesus did. I learn more about Jesus everyday and I KEEP BELIEVING!
Confession is like spending the 'currency' already given you through your belief.

There is no need to argue on this if you do not accept my post. Thanks.

birdman:

I always find it amazing how these things work out. There is wisdom, and then theres Wisdom

It is because God knows the end from the beginning. He does these things to make us continually trust, love and believe Him more. A problem for some is an avenue to show innovation for others. It is a thing of perception.


On the issue of the pleading the blood. I believe that the blood has been shed for us and our mouths are like the 'hyssop' used to apply it because we overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. This is continuous.
The blood of Jesus speaks better things (mercy) than the blood of Esau (vengeance). So it is possible that when a saint has fallen, he pleads the blood for mercy and seeks grace to help him turn away and continually do right.
The blood of Jesus is the price used to purchase a person from destruction/penalty, we continually confess to salvation.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (1)

Friday, 25 October 2013 

'...The clay doesn't ask, "Why did you make me this way?"...' Isaiah 45:9

A lot of us are unhappy with what we see in the mirror. Indeed, some of us are so unhappy that we spend a fortune to change it. And while it's good to look your best, God never intended our looks as a statement of our value to Him, or to others. Whatever physical features you may have inherited, here are some Scriptural truths worth considering:

(1) Resenting your looks just puts you at odds with God. The Bible says, 'You have no right to argue with your Creator. You are...a clay pot shaped by a potter. The clay doesn't ask, "Why did you make me this way?"' (Isaiah 45:9) God intends you to be His clay container; a practical, usable vessel; not a fancy ornament for display. 'Our bodies are made of clay, yet we have the treasure of the Good News in them. This shows that the superior power of this treasure belongs to God and doesn't come from us.' (2 Corinthians 4:7). Your value isn't in how you look, but in what you contain - the life-changing message of God's grace!

(2) Resenting your looks results from false comparisons. Today we're driven to become reflections of some unattainable ideal. Airbrushed models on TV sell us everything from cornflakes to cars. Let's get real! '...They are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!' (2 Corinthians 10:12) Unhappiness over your appearance results from ignorance of God's marvellous and creative purpose for you. And that'll become clear to you when you '...look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect...' (Hebrews 12:2)

SoulFood: Is 12-16, John 6:25-34, Ps 85, Pr 27:20-22

O This is the Word for Today

@Tbaby4real,
Take heart and give God the sacrifice of praise. The Lord's thoughts for us are higher than ours. The victory continues. I have nothing more to say regarding that for the Lord will defend Himself always.

Wow! this is beautiful!

Hello @Tbaby4real,
Please what is the update?

Psalm 147:13
For He has strengthened and made hard the bars of your gates, and He has blessed your children within you


@Honeypie, thanks for that post. If we consider what Job went through, many of us will be asking for forgiveness for the way we talk in troubles.
That is a good reminder that others have experienced much worse and still stood.
As Christians we still have battles to win, yes because Jesus already fought it for us, it is just for us to claim the victory as the devil constantly prowls and never relents.

As I always say, whose report will you believe? I once got a doctors report for a seeming negligible medical issue that I rejected and prayed about and I am fine even though I was given ultimatum to come and work on it or experience pain.
I really respect doctors and other professionals but the onus lies with us as well to accept or reject it or first seek the mind of God concerning it. Let us not just give up over anything we hear. I have since realised that people who often get results push for it more than normal atimes. I pray as you said that the Lord will consider our prayers and have mercy.

@Rute,
I am glad to hear this. The word of God is my comfort and help and gives me strength, not my own strength or mind at all.