Posted in GLORIFY GOD

His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever (Psalm 136)

O GIVE thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.

O give thanks to the God of gods, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.

O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever–

To Him Who alone does great wonders, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who by wisdom and understanding made the heavens, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who stretched out the earth upon the waters, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who made the great lights, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever–

The sun to rule over the day, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

The moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who smote Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

And brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who divided the Red Sea into parts, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

But shook off and overthrew Pharaoh and his host into the Red Sea, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who smote great kings, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

And slew famous kings, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever–

Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

And Og king of Bashan, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

And gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

Even a heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who [earnestly] remembered us in our low estate and imprinted us [on His heart], for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

And rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

To Him Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

O give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

 

 

Posted in HOPE, SOUL FOOD

WHO KNOWS GOD’S WAY?

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:18.  I believe everything happens for a reason.

The devil can’t touch us as God’s children because of the hedge of protection around us. However, God does allow the devil for a reason; his defeat. The situation may not be pleasant (like what happened to Job) but if we can maintain our positive attitudes toward that situation, I believe in the end, God would use what was meant for our downfall, harm, disgrace, death, etc to lift us up to a new and a higher level. Amen!

 He has promised to give us a wonderful future.However, He never said anything about how the journey would be like. That is what makes Him God. He knows ways and means to get us to that destination. If He should reveal to us what would happen in our days on earth, there are some people we would never talk to, some places we would never go, some food we would never eat, some schools we would never attend, some cars, planes, ships, etc we would never board, some holidays we would never go, etc. He sees everything right in His sight just that we tend to complain, cry, worry, etc when we don’t understand what He is doing. What I have realised is God through His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, would reveal to us what God has prepared for us both the present and the future. He would give us a clear picture of what He has for us But the ways to get there are kept hidden from us. Our constant walk in Him would reveal to us what we have to do daily, as we walk on the road to that destination.

Nobody knows how God does things. The scripture tells us God’s ways are above our ways, and His thoughts above our thoughts. As humans it is sometimes difficult to see from God’s perspective, or to understand how He works. You may not understand why you lost that lovely family member, why that fellow walked out of that relationship, why despite all your efforts the company decided to lay you off, why people don’t appreciate you, why you are still unemployed, etc. You may not understand the situation you are going through now. But hear me today; they are happening so that God’s divine purpose for your life can come to pass.

Wait a minute, what do you mean Mr. Preacher? Am hurt, am unemployed, i’ve had an accident, my friend died, I was punished for doing good, my house was on fire, my car, business, my parents are not working, am facing deportation, etc. And you are saying they are happening so that God’s divine purpose for my life could come to pass?

The answer is YES.In John 9, when Jesus and His disciples saw a man blind from birth, Jesus told them in verse 3 that “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

Friends, some things (both good and bad) happened to us, is happening to us, and would happen to us for the work of God to be displayed in our lives, so that others will see how powerful our Father is. When something good happens, we tend to give Him thanks. However, we cry, worry, talks when something bad happens to us. Let us have in mind that all things work together for our good. When the scripture says all things, it means those things we see as bad, and those we see as good. In those “bad situations”, we have to give thanks to God for getting us out. Paul said “Be thankful in all circumstances” not Be thankful for all circumstances. We don’t have to thank God for bad things happening to us. NO! Satan is responsible for that. We must thank Him (God) in that situation for His Power to set us free. We should also know that He is more than able to see us through. Nothing happens to us, they happen for us. What was, is, and would be meant for your harm would be used for your good.                                                  No one knows God’s ways.

Posted in LOVE

HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE?

A new command I give you; love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-35)

Love is the greatest gift you could give to your neighbour. It is the distinguishing mark of Christ followers – Christians. Don’t call yourself a disciple of our Lord Jesus if you find it hard to Love a single soul on earth. Sometimes it amazes me when I see Christians fighting one another, cheating one another, etc. That is not how Christ wants us to live. He demonstrated His love by sacrificing His own life for us.

1 John 3:16 tells us what love is: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us”. It was not easy as the story may sound but He endured to the end. The worst rejection in the history of mankind was at Calvary when God turned His face from His only begotten son because of you and me. I could feel the pains He went through as He carried the cross, and when He cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani.” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God forsook Him. Jesus, despite the rejection, pains, mockery, etc pleaded for mankind on the cross. He said in Luke 23 that “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” This was His love for us and He is doing the same at the Father’s right hand; interceding for us.

Friends, a servant is not greater than His master. Thus He said “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” This is how we know what love is; Jesus Christ laid down His own life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brother.

Love is SACRIFICE. If you can’t sacrifice, you can’t love.

Human beings are people; they will hurt you, insult you, betray you, blackmail you, gossip about you, cheat on you, beat you, break your heart, steal from you, annoy you, etc, yet the master says you must love one another.

Let us make every effort to leave the past behind, forgive one another, and love one another. If anyone says “I love God” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. (I John 4:20). No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.

I will close with this, if there is a single person or soul you hate on this planet, God sees you as a murderer. The scripture tells us in I John 3:15 that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth. AMEN! If you are finding it hard to forgive someone, send me mail; upliftingchrist@gmail.com
God bless you