CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY

 

TEXT: COLOSSIANS 1:27, JOHN 15: 5-10

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27).

“5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love (John 15: 5-10).

What is glory? Glory is renown honour won by notable achievements. It is an outstanding achievement that cannot be hidden. Glory is an achievement that announces itself. What do you understand by hope? It is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen (Dictionary.com).

The Biblical meaning of hope is the CONFIDENT expectation of what God has promised. Our text in John 15 says “if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear more fruit. The relationship that would propel us to glory has to be dual relationship (that is, relating with God- getting intimate with God, and he also has a relationship with you). This is when we can be sure that we are on the path of glory. Some people believe they are in Christ while they play religion. There is clear distinction between being a religious person and being saved genuinely- God resides in those that are GENUINELY saved and not those that attend church weekly without any form of godliness in them!

I heard Joyce Meyer saying one day that “staying in garage does not make you a car, neither does going to church makes you a Christian.” Our right standing with God is what guarantees the manifestation of the glory of God in our lives. The question we need to ask ourselves now is “is Christ in me and am I in Christ?”

Our text says, “Christ in you the hope of glory.” Christ MUST genuinely be in you; He must know you and have relationship with you, and you must do the same by cultivating a very sound and genuine relationship with Him so that he can shower you with His glory. The irony of things are some people believe they are in Christ, they work for God, they pay tithe and never missed services in their local churches. However, they are not walking with the lord they are working for, they have no relationship with God, he does not communicate or relate with them on personal level- They are strangers or aliens to God! This type of relationship would not make you enjoy the glory of God.

Cultivate a genuine relationship with your maker, do not play religion. For the glory of God to manifest in us, we must be sure that we are not alone on our Christian walk or journey, we must be sure that God is on the journey with us. How can we be sure that Christ is in us? By constant examination of our heart and examining your life and standing with God. Your heart needs to be renewed and be transformed. You must have a genuine fellowship with God and not “playing church.” God bless you.

Image: Google Image

COME OUT AND BE SEPARATE

 TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 6: 14-17

“14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

The believers of old got the name “Christians” from the people of Antioch in the book of Acts 11: 26. They got the name because the people of Antioch noticed something conspicuously different about Christ followers. The believers’ lifestyle was so evident and unique that the name “Christian” was assigned to them because they put into practice all they had learned from Jesus. They emulated Jesus and lived lives worthy of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They represented Christ and made him known to the whole world even after he had ascended!

We are created in the image and the likeness of God, and as dedicated children of God; washed and redeemed with the blood of Jesus Christ, we are no more of this world even though we live in this world. The salvation we got on the day we chose to follow Christ, means that we are ready and determined to live a sanctified life- that means separation from the world and unto God. This separation from the world is an internal state of separation- it means separating yourself from worldliness and every work of flesh, as well as separating yourself from unbelieving friends and relatives. Separating from unbelievers does not mean you should run away from them or abandon them; it only means that you should be careful how you relate with them. you should stand your ground by maintain the standard that Christ has given us- do not compromise on your faith, do not conform with the standard of the unbelievers and the world at large. Rather, you should be a good example of the believer that will act as change agent to intercede and witness to unbelieves to turn from their sinful ways.

Sanctification has to do with dedication, consecration, purity, and separation from sin. These days, it is difficult to distinguish a worldly person from a Christian. There are many works of flesh and worldliness that has crept into the body of Christ because of what is tagged “Modern Christianity.” These are evident from the choice of clothing (appearance in general), style of dance- (worldly dance steps are reigning in altars of God!), to the choice of music, songs, worldly slangs, and lyrics that have crept into Christian praise teams!

When you examine the lifestyle of some believers, you will marvel to see how difficult it is to see Christ reflected in them! Our text says as believers you should not have anything to do with unbelievers, because there is no correlation between light and darkness. The verse says, “we are the temple of God.” The Spirit of God lives in you, do not grief the Spirit of God with the way you live. Do not emulate unbelievers, you are an agent of change to draw sinners to Christ. Do not let the world change you or draw you out of God’s side to their side. Come out of them and be separate. Let people see Christ in you, do not conform with the doctrines of this world. Come out of them and be separate!

IMAGE: Google.

VAIN IS THE HELP OF MAN

 TEXT: PSALM 108: 12- 13

“12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.”

Help can be defined as making it easier or possible for someone to do something by offering them one’s services or resources (Cambridge Dictionary. Org). A helper may decide to assist his or her beneficiary by embarking on some of the task to reduce stress or workload on the recipient.

Rendering a helping hand to someone may also be in form of providing advice or financial support to someone. As relieving as seeing someone to help with your needs is, it is ideal to know that lasting and genuine help can only be found in Christ. Human beings are limited in what they can do, we have limited strength, resources, wisdom, endurance, temperament and even life span!

Placing your hope and trust on human beings for help may lead to disappointment when they are unable to meet your need, or when they become exhausted in providing help. I am not writing that we should not look around for human help, as we know God will not come down to help us- He sends help through people around us. Therefore, as the scripture admonishes in Hebrews 12:2 “to look up to Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith.” For genuine and lasting help, look up to the ALL-sufficient God. Call on Him to send help to you through vessels that He has prepared for the task. These types of helpers are called “Divine Helpers.” They will not get weary or tired of you, they will not spite you with their help and they will not withhold their help because God has prepared and equipped them for the good cause.

On the other hand, if you seek help from fellow man when God did not lead you to him or her, it may not end well. The person may be willing to help but faced with his or her own human limitations or challenges. A helper that is not sent by God may withhold his or her assistance at any little instance of anger or other reasons best known to him or her.

Hence, our anchor scripture directed us to the right channel or source of seeking lasting and unfailing source of help- which is God, because human help is vain. Do not be going around compelling or soliciting for help from people to the pint of becoming a nuisance. You may be looking into the wrong direction for help. Go to God in prayer and let Him lead you to the vessels He has prepared to help you. May the Lord connect you with your divine Helpers in Jesus name.

Image: Google Image

 

SAVE FOR RAINY DAYS

TEXT: PROVERBS 21:20

There is precious treasure and oil in the house of the wise (who prepares for the future), but a short sighted and foolish man swallows it all and wastes it. (Amplified Version).

God our maker created the heaven, the earth and everything in them out of His resources without having to borrow from anyone. Our God is an ALL-sufficient God. The almighty God told us in Psalm 50 verse 9 and 10 that “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” He continued in verse 12^b “for the world is mine, and all that is in it.”

The book of Haggai also testifies of the riches of our Lord, “the silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the lord almighty. (Haggai 2: 8). Despite God’s riches and wealth, He does not squander or waste resources- He is a prudent God. As God’s children, we must emulate the prudence of God. To be prudent is to be careful, prudence is the ability to be disciplined in management, to have good management in the use of resources. To be successful in life, you need to have good understanding or knowledge of financial management.

If your business, job or whatever generates income for you is buoyant and is generating bountiful income for you, do not use them all- do not spend, lavish, or squander all the resources. Remember, the Sun does not shine for 24 hours, there are days of “cloudy or dark weather.” This means that there are times that you may experience a downturn in your earnings or income. If that happens and you have no saving, living may be difficult. "Money speaks only one language: "If you save me today, I will save you tomorrow."

Develop a very good and strong spending and saving plan. Have budget for your money and spend sensibly. Make sure you save for the days that things may not go well. We cannot say because we are believers, we want to receive everything by faith. The scripture says that in this world we will have tribulation… Being financially unstable is part of tribulation.

Our text says the wise will have treasures in his house because he saved for the future. However, the foolish man does not have plan for his future- he spent all he had. I do not want us to act like the fool but the wise that saved for his future. Plan and set goals for the unknown future. Do not be an impulsive spender or buyer, hence you may become broke and have nothing to fall back on later. When Jesus fed the multitude in John chapter 6, there were twelve baskets of leftover food. He instructed the disciples to gather all the leftovers so that nothing will be wasted- that is prudence! The lesson here is, even during your years of overflowing success, do not waste resources! Jesus has the power to multiply and create things. Yet, he did not allow things to be wasted. In the same vein, do not waste resources, do not buy what you do not need, do not deplete all your resources over items that are not assets. Look for any financial investment you can engage in. search for suitable pension plan to help you in your old age. Save for old and rainy days. Shalom!

Image: Google

BE COMPASSIONATE

 

TEXT: PROVERBS 21: 13

“If a man shuts his hears to the cry of the poor, He too will cry and not to be answered.”

There is a saying that “One good turn deserves another. Another says, what goes round comes round.” This means, whatever you do to others will come back to you in full measure. This is what is referred to as the law of KARMA.

Karma means, that whatever we do; be it in words, thoughts, or actions either positive or negative will have corresponding effect on us- it will come back to us either directly or indirectly.

The scripture emphasises this with the principle of sowing and reaping. In Galatians 6: 7 it says, “Be not be deceived, God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” We are in the end time where OPPRESSION has replaced COMPASSION. The wealthy are not bothered about the needy around them, all they want to do is to oppress them with their wealth and looking forward to being worshipped by the less privileged. This is what the Social Scientists called “Social Inequality.” Gone are the days of empathy and selfless services to humanity.

The days where believers used to “break bread” with other less privileged believers had long gone. What is seen in churches and the society at large these days is “survival of the fittest” in which no one cares about the poor, the needy or the less privileged amongst us,

In the days of Jesus Christ, he had feeling and compassion for the sick, the oppressed and the poor. He did not only lead them to God, but he ministered to their physical needs.

The “god” of these age has blindfolded some believers to the point of not having human feeling anymore. They preach the word to win people to the kingdom of God, but they cannot minister to the physical needs of their converts.

“suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food, if one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? (James 2: 15- 16). Your act of welldoing and benevolence would go a long way in winning souls for Christ than your empty word without corresponding action.

Our text says, if you refused to listen to the cry of the poor, that you also will not be heard on the day of trials. As believers, we should let our light shine in every dimension. As believers, we should be agent of positive change. If the world is oppressing the poor and the less privileged, they should be able to come to the midst of believers to find comfort and solace. Let us be our brother’s keeper, let us not be weary in doing good, for in proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

Image : Google 

MAKE A COVENANT WITH YOUR EYES.

TEXT: JOB: 31: 1-6.

1 I made a covenant with my eyes
    not to look lustfully at a young woman.
2 For what is our lot from God above,
    our heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is it not ruin for the wicked,
    disaster for those who do wrong?
4 Does he not see my ways
    and count my every step?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood
    or my foot has hurried after deceit—
6 let God weigh me in honest scales

The above passage was the account of Job the faithful and blameless follower of God. When calamity befell him, he lost all his wealth and children. In his quest to know why that should be his lot after he had followed the doctrine of righteous living.  He started to soliloquise recounting how he lived a good and holy life, how he made covenant with his eyes not to see what would cause him to sin.
Job mentioned that he decided not to allow his eyes to cause him to sin, why did he mention his eyes out of all his body parts and out of all the five senses? The answer is simple. Our eyes play a vital role in our lives. No wonder the scripture says in the book of Matthew 6: 22 says " The eye is the LAMP of the body."
The verse means that the eye is the metaphorical window in which light enters into your body. The eye is the channel  that communicate ideas ( either good or bad) to the rest of your body. The rest of your body or the remaining four senses takes action according to what your eye sees.
When your eye sees, it sends signal to your brain to evaluate what the eyes saw, then your mind takes over by thinking of what to do, the next step to take. If the thought lingers on and becomes established in your heart, then action follows with the use of other body parts. This act, either good or bad came as a result of what the eyes saw!
Can you see why it is very Important to make a covenant with your eyes not to see evil that would cause you to fall?
"  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world." (1John 2: 16).
If you do not caution yourself to "discipline" your eyes, you may fall to the sin of the lust of the eyes which will lead to other sin like lust of the flesh (fornication/ adultery/theft) and pride of life (amassing wealth even in an ungodly way just to boost your status/ seeing yourself better than every other person as a result of the blessing of God that is evident in your life.).
Do not let your eyes and what you can see around you cause you to miss eternity. Be disciplined in your spirit, ask God for the grace to live above lust of the eyes. Make covenant with your eye which is the lamp of your body, that it will not cause you to fall into temptation and evil. There are tempters and temptations everywhere around the world, your immediate environment,  the social media and so on are places that can cause someone to fall into the sin of the lust of the eyes. We need the grace of God to abide with us to sail through the voyage without wrecking our ship. Many glorious destiny had been destroyed through lust of the eyes. You will not be an addition to this list in Jesus name.  Make a covenant with your eyes, activate your spiritual sight more than the physical. Shalom!

Image- Google

VENGEANCE IS THE LORD'S

TEXT: PROVERBS 20: 22

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.” (Proverbs 20:22).

The dictionary defines vengeance as the punishing of someone for harming you, your friend or your family. It is an action against someone to punish them for hurting you (dictionary.com).

The scripture made us to know that as human beings living together in a community or a society we cannot do without offending each other. Offence and conflict resolution is part of living. That is why the Bible admonishes us that we should not pay evil with evil, we should live in forgiveness. If you think someone offended you and you want to retaliate or you will not forgive, have it in mind that you are not perfect, you might have offended some in the cause of your relationship with people. This is why we should find excuse for people and let go of any record of wrong you have against them.

“So watch yourselves.” If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” (Luke 17:3).

Only God can fight a perfect battle- He is the best avenger. Have you been maltreated or cheated unjustly? Try to forgive and move on, let God avenge and vindicate you. It is not in your place to take revenge hence you don’t fall into sin yourself.

The Bible tells us to pray for those that persecute us (Matthew 5: 44). Don’t get me wrong, it is not easy to forgive and let go; it takes the grace of God. To fulfill the commandment of God, you must learn to forgive.

When you avenge yourself you are saying “God is not capable of fighting your battles” you are therefore replacing God in your life.

In “normal circular society where laws and orders are respected and followed, no one is allowed to take laws into his or her hands by punishing any offender. Protocols have to be followed by calling on the law enforcement agents of the society.

Consequently, in the kingdom of God, there are rules and regulations (commandments). If you cannot violate the laws of your society you shouldn’t violate God’s decrees. When God avenges for you, you will marvel at the extent He would go to avenge for you. You will be pleading with God to be lenient in His judgment over your adversaries because He will give them more than their requests!

LET GO AND LET GOD. Shalom.

IMAGE : GOOGLE IMAGE