Meditation: February 13

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10

The household of faith is the instrument in God’s hands to bring sinners to salvation. They are the carriers of the Gospel message with the potential of setting the captives free. To do good concerning those who are of faith is participating in the expansion of faith. Our practice must be to do good to all. Benevolence must be practiced until it becomes a habit. But special care must be given to those who are of the household of faith. It frees the hands to work and the soul from unnecessary burdens so that it may be extended to those to whom God will to reach. The world is awaiting the release of love bestowed from God that is free from pretense and selfish ambition. Therefore we must take care in prayerfully considering those who are faithful within the household assisting them so that they may distribute to others what they so desperately need. Where should we lend a helping hand, and where should we direct our giving? God unites our hearts to a household of faith where charity must first begin.

Meditation: October 20

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, (2) fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2

The objective of preaching the gospel is for those who are following to have the mind of Christ. Whatever Christ has provided for us is to be provided through us to others. It is with His comfort of love that we become loving. A difference is made in our lives as the result of being loved by Christ. He settles us down and gives us both rest and a peace that surpasses all understanding. The disturbed soul cannot interact with others on the same level as one who senses the security of the arms of Christ. There would be a caution that interrupts that degree of fellowship. But the soul that rests in His love is free to love others because he is not dependent on them but gives to them expecting nothing in return. The Lord supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory. We are complete in Christ thus able to love unconditionally. The constant communion that we enjoy with the Lord provides evidence that the Word of God has taken root within our hearts. We do not have to rehearse what we have to say for it flows from our hearts of love. It is a joy when the entrance of God’s Word brings light, life, and love within the hearts of its hearers and doers.

Meditation: October 10

“We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6

The surety of the gospel message is an unflinching confidence that God is with him. God provides the messenger an assurance that all who love the Christ of the message will also love and accept the Christ within His messenger. The message and the Messenger can never be divided. As he further yields himself to Christ, that which is of Christ flows freely through him without any restraint. He does not rely upon a response from the people, even though positive responses are encouraging. But his motive is to please the One who sent him on the mission and nothing else. The Spirit of Christ can recognize Himself inside of him. He can make such bold proclamations as, “we are of God!” he doesn’t have to cautiously and timidly approach the subject. He is confident and radiant as he stands as God’s representative. He who is of God hears the one sent forth by God. His sheep both hears and knows His voice and a stranger they will not follow. The spirit of error has an appeal to those who are in error and are not seeking to escape. Only the truth can set us free from the dominating and controlling spirit of error that deceives many into believing that it is truer than truth itself.

Meditation: September 15

“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!”  1 Corinthians 9:16

I must” is to brave the storms of life in spite of the difficulties required of me to survive. I can only give light consideration to the cost attached to obedience. Obedience is often costly because there are so many options that could lead to paths of least resistance. Yet the call of God to obey rings strong within my  heart and ears in spite of my mind fighting against it and telling me that there are other ways go and other things to  be done. Some of them appear to be equally important, and at times, seem to outweigh the measure of this assignment because of greater gain and requiring less effort. But God speaks “woe” to the very thought of my disobedience to His command. Necessity is laid on me to speak the truth when the lie or even silence would be of greater benefit. “I must” do what God has called me to do. I must speak what He has given me to speak. Yet I cannot boast of it because to preach the gospel is not of me, but of Christ. He must speak through me if the words spoken are to have any power. I must speak but I must yield my whole life to Him. This is how I grow in both grace and knowledge by letting Christ be Himself in me. Then the power of God is able to draw sinners to the Cross of Jesus Christ and those who have been drawn are able to grow. They are not just hearing the message but become the message because then they are able to see the message in me. I am not driven by obligation but rather compelled by love. Since I have been drawn, it would be denial of Christ and all of His grace dispensed towards me to do otherwise.     

Meditation: September 14

“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” Ezekiel 36:24

People who are in exile are a people removed from their place. We see Israel being scattered among the nations and some taking on the character of the nations where they had been forced to occupy. Sin does not ask for our permission, but imposes its character upon those who occupy its territory. A culture of sin produces a people who readily adapt to the environment. It is then difficult for them to remember what God’s original intentions were for their lives. They merely see what others are doing and seemingly enjoying and adjust to their standard of living. But God stands up and makes His Presence known among them. He lets them know that even though they are in a strange place, Israel still carries His name. When His name is hallowed among the nations and a difference is made known by them to the other inhabitants, then deliverance will come. God will bring them into their own land. He is says to us, are we to represent Jesus where we are. Should He only be honored in Church? What about the workplace? The places where His name is profaned require a people who would stand up for Him there. We deny Him when we are in strategic places and are ashamed of the gospel and acquiesce to the lifestyle of others. We must stand up and stand for righteousness regardless of what price we may have to pay. God will then deliver us into our own place of promise if we are willing to take a stand for Him right here.

Meditation: August 31

“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; (10) and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power”. Colossians 2:9-10

Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher who announced the death of God placed his emphasis on the strength of the human personality. “Relinquishing the belief in God opens the way for human creative abilities to fully develop.” “The Christian, he wrote, “would no longer stand in the way, so human beings might stop turning their eyes towards a supernatural realm and begin to acknowledge the value of this world.” His idea was that “will power is the essence of reality”.

Today, the death of the God which is expressed through a shift in values is proclaimed even while using religious language.  Asserting oneself and accentuating the positive while eliminating the negative supposedly have freed individuals from the bondage of their past. There is a super-human being on the scene that can control the activities of their god and create their own destinies. “If it is to be, it is up to me” has become the motto for daily living. God is about developing the human personality in ways far beyond the wildest dreams of Nietzsche. He thought it was possible to find one’s life while Jesus is about one losing his life that he might find it in Him. The aggression of egotistical behavior contributes to the destruction of the human race rather than the development of society. People are too busy trying to get for themselves what they want rather than having a true concern for God’s agenda and glorifying Him by giving Him what He requires. Listen more carefully to the message of this age or this world system, even in religious circles and you will hear this opposing gospel message seeping into the very center of what is being proclaimed. Only God can complete man and we are complete only in Him. He reigns over the things contributing to the conditions of man’s fragmentation. No one can rescue himself. All are in need of help. All are in need of God who is yet alive and well!

Meditation: August 27

To lose heart is to become fainthearted when fear holds its grips upon the soul. It is when discouragement occurs as result of failed hopes and dreams. Things were expected in a certain amount of time; a rescue from a dilemma, but the situation remained the same. Time is beyond our control, but not beyond our management. Each moment must be used as an opportunity to further develop the stature of the soul. Each day, a lesson is learned and applied to our eternal destinies so that even our failures amount to success in God. We are being trained for eternity. God is taking us through a course in life that will increase the measure of our faith in Him alone. The outward man is perishing along with its passions for the external and temporal things. As we grow older we grow wiser in our values. We are now seeking those things which are above where Christ is. All other things are being held loosely in light of their eternal value. The confidence we have in Christ is that life as we have known it to be is not the only chapter in this story. The greatest chapters await us and are yet  to be written regardless of how old we may be. Even death cannot stop what God has in store for us but only serves as a passageway into the eternal.  The outward man is perishing, but the inward man is being renewed day by day. Now the gospel message is known to be good news to us. We are able to see the goodness of the Lord that surpasses the temporary elements of this world and to see beyond our own feebleness. The time will come when we will be re-clothed or re-suited with a body conducive to the spiritual development of our souls thus possessing the ability to give full expression to what God have placed within our hearts to both be and to do. We do not desire to be naked, but to be clothed in immortality and now we have hope that the God who promises it will deliver.

Meditation: August 7

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, (2) as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,  (3) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Peter 2:1-3

The passions and desires of a converted saint are different from the cravings of the sinner. Even though there is still that memory of a life without power driven by the force of sin, he is now free to make better and wiser choices. One must be fully aware of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to save everyone who believes. The tensions that exist between the bondage of the past and the freedoms that lie ahead in the future will be ever present. Yet they are now expendable. These things may try to attach themselves to you, but they have been expelled from within you. This is what Peter was addressing when he instructed believers to lay all these other things aside. They do not give expression to the new nature within you.  You are now in control and responsible for how these things affect you.

Allow your affections to be directed towards those things that add to your faith in Jesus Christ. This is the surrender offered to the believer, that is, to allow the Holy Spirit to give full expression of the character of Christ. This is not striving but resting and letting Him take full and complete control.

A babe is fed food that increases his growth and productivity. You will desire these things as evidence of a changed life within you.   He is telling you to set your affections on things above. The time spent in seeking them will have you too preoccupied to waste time in other areas. Being fed by the Lord will allow you to understand how gracious He is to you to allow you to partake of what is exclusively His.

Meditation: July 24

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” 2 Corinthians 9:15

The gift of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the description of His Personhood in words from heaven through vessels of clay yet ordained to carry the message. God uses ordinary people but imparts to them extraordinary power. They are no longer mere men but the Word that they carry changes them into becoming vessels of honor. The message preserves the messenger so that as he partakes of what he has to deliver, his heart is set ablaze with the unction that comes from the Holy Spirit. The gift of Jesus Christ is indescribable, but what is equally indescribable is how God can choose from among the people those whom He wills to chose and use them in such remarkable ways! The sufficiency is not in them, but He continues to remind them that without Him they can do nothing. Thanks be to God for the methodology He has chosen to get His Word to us. And most of all, thanks be to God for a changeless but a life-changing message.

Meditation: July 14

“and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith” 1 Thess 3:2

We are encouraged through others who have been well taught and learned the lesson of diligence and persistence in the faith. Timothy had learned much from Paul’s tutorship. His boldness came as result of the encouragement from a seasoned saint who had forsaken all for the cause of Christ. As he imitated his leader he gained a testimony which would do more for a new convert than what might be learned from the Apostle. Much more would be expected from Paul therefore it would more difficult to relate to his experiences. But when young Timothy would stand before a neophyte beginning the long journey from the start, it would be much easier to relate to. We need the testimony of young men and women if we are to reach this generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If they would speak convincingly to their peers, it could turn their generation around. We are praying that God would raise up more youthful and inspiring Timothy’s. We will send them out if they are willing and ready to go.