Bible passage for sermon: Isaiah 55: 1-end, Jeremiah 29: 5-7, 10-14
Isaiah 55 - 1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— The sure mercies of David. 4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. 5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the LORD your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.” 6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 12 “ For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
God says in verse 1 that you should buy without money. This is because the price has been paid for already. The milk God is referring to is the sincere milk of the word, and the wine is the new wine of the new testament.
v3 - Incline your ear and come unto me. Your soul will live when you come unto him.
Isaiah 9: 6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus was given to us for 3 reasons as seen in verse 4:-
To be our Witness - meaning someone who has seen and experienced. Acts 1:8 Jesus had to show the things he had seen of the father.
To be our Leader - taking us by our hands and leading us to heaven.
To be our Commander - speaking the things of God with authority.
God is speaking to us through Jesus. God has already done all things and it is up to you to reach out and make it work as seen in verse 5.
In verse 8 he tells us about his 'thoughts' and his 'way'. Let us define the word thought - it means imagination, purposes, devices, contriving, machine, invention, fortify. The definition of way - walk, journey, way of life, worship. God wants us to change our thought and ways illustrates how his thoughts towards us brings good things. Your thought is influenced by the word of God, the more you hear the word, the more your thoughts are changed.
Jeremiah 29 - 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. God has promised to give you a future and a hope, and all this is through his 'thought' towards you. The word 'think' is defined as - account, reckon, count, induce, impute, invent, weaver. God already has a good accout of you, God has a good reckoning of you, God has a good invention of you. All this he has done through his thoughts.
In conclusion: God wants us to walk in dominion wherever you are, and he has given you the ability to do that through your thoughts and your ways. Let your thoughts be changed daily by the word of God, and your way be influenced by your thoughts, so that you can have good seeds to sow and be a blessing everywhere you go.
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Friday 21 October 2011
Friday 14 October 2011
Wait For It - Devotional
Bible passage for sermon - 1Kings 18: 41-46
1Kings 18 - 41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” 44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” 45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
This passage is about when there was a drought in samaria, and Elijah, after showing the people of the land that the Lord is truly God, told Ahab that there is a sound of abundance of rain. He "heard" it first in his spirit and even reassured Ahab to "go up, eat and drink". He heard it and he believed that will certainly come to pass.
Elijah went to the top of carmel to pray by taking the position of bowing down on the ground and putting his head between his knees. This indicates that he was praying so much and didn't let anything distract him, but also he understood the importance of watching at the same time. So he got his servant to do the watching for him while he prayed. You need to learn to watch and pray at the same time...most believers either pray and pray without watching, while some just keep watching and hoping that thing will materialise because they have heard it.
Elijah sent his servant to go and look at the sea for any sign of rain while he prayed hard and held onto what he heard in his spirit. Even though he heard it, he still had to wait to see it materialise. The servant went back and forth 6 times bringing back news of no sign of the rain. This alone is enough to make you disappointed and probably lose faith at that which you have heard from God. The servant would probably have written off Elijah and doubted in his mind if he truly was a prophet from God. This happens to everyone of us when people will write you off because you are not where "they" think you should be. You have promised so much but you haven't delivered anything that "they" can see.
But on the 7th time the servant saw a rain cloud rising from the sea. This changed the whole complexity of things for both the servant and Elijah. The servant then realises that Elijah is once again the prophet of God that he has always been, and Elijah receives the confirmation of that which he had heard and believed in. Even though it is still not the rain which he expects, he knows that the cloud is the start of that which he heard. This applies to you in your daily life that that which you are expecting might not come immediately in the finished form you are expecting, but that which you see is a sign of the thing expected.
Once Elijah got the little confirmation, he acted upon it by sending message to Ahab to prepare the chariots so the rain will not stop him on his way to jezreel. At this time there was no rain yet when the message was sent, the clouds only became black with clouds and wind and thenwith heavy rain after the message was delivered. Elijah acted upon his faith that God will certainly bring to pass that which he had spoken to him in the spirit. Elijah started to put things in place in readiness for that which he knows will happen. You also need to start to put things in place and prepare yourself for the promises once you get little confirmations about them. Don't just spen all the time praying and praying, there is a time to pray and a time to get ready for when the prayers get answered. The keyword here is "prepare".
Ahab prepared his chariots and set off to jezreel but without Elijah, probably in his haste he forgot about him. But Elijah even though the rain had come, still waited behind until the hand of the Lord came upon him. Only then did Elijah gird up his loins and left on foot for jezreel and made it there, even before Ahab who was on the fast chariots. I said previously that the keyword is "prepare", even though Elijah saw the rain and could have gone with Ahab on the chariots, he intentionally waited upon the Lord to touch him, to confirm to him that all is well and that he can now go ahead. All this while Elijah was preparing himself for the appointed time when that which he heard would come to pass, and because he now saw the rain he didn't just jump without the full confirmation from God.
He chose Gods appointed time to embark on the trip to jezreel, and because he waited God accelerated his progress tremendously that he even got to the destination before the man on the fastest chariot. When your have waited upon the Lord for so long for a thing he has promised you, hold on to that till you get Gods full blessings to then go ahead.
In conclusion - When God gives you a word, you will not die waiting. The Lord will not break his word for you. He exalts his word over his priciples, therefore wait on the Lord and obey his instructions and he will elevate you at the appointed time.
1Kings 18 - 41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” 44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” 45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
This passage is about when there was a drought in samaria, and Elijah, after showing the people of the land that the Lord is truly God, told Ahab that there is a sound of abundance of rain. He "heard" it first in his spirit and even reassured Ahab to "go up, eat and drink". He heard it and he believed that will certainly come to pass.
Elijah went to the top of carmel to pray by taking the position of bowing down on the ground and putting his head between his knees. This indicates that he was praying so much and didn't let anything distract him, but also he understood the importance of watching at the same time. So he got his servant to do the watching for him while he prayed. You need to learn to watch and pray at the same time...most believers either pray and pray without watching, while some just keep watching and hoping that thing will materialise because they have heard it.
Elijah sent his servant to go and look at the sea for any sign of rain while he prayed hard and held onto what he heard in his spirit. Even though he heard it, he still had to wait to see it materialise. The servant went back and forth 6 times bringing back news of no sign of the rain. This alone is enough to make you disappointed and probably lose faith at that which you have heard from God. The servant would probably have written off Elijah and doubted in his mind if he truly was a prophet from God. This happens to everyone of us when people will write you off because you are not where "they" think you should be. You have promised so much but you haven't delivered anything that "they" can see.
But on the 7th time the servant saw a rain cloud rising from the sea. This changed the whole complexity of things for both the servant and Elijah. The servant then realises that Elijah is once again the prophet of God that he has always been, and Elijah receives the confirmation of that which he had heard and believed in. Even though it is still not the rain which he expects, he knows that the cloud is the start of that which he heard. This applies to you in your daily life that that which you are expecting might not come immediately in the finished form you are expecting, but that which you see is a sign of the thing expected.
Once Elijah got the little confirmation, he acted upon it by sending message to Ahab to prepare the chariots so the rain will not stop him on his way to jezreel. At this time there was no rain yet when the message was sent, the clouds only became black with clouds and wind and thenwith heavy rain after the message was delivered. Elijah acted upon his faith that God will certainly bring to pass that which he had spoken to him in the spirit. Elijah started to put things in place in readiness for that which he knows will happen. You also need to start to put things in place and prepare yourself for the promises once you get little confirmations about them. Don't just spen all the time praying and praying, there is a time to pray and a time to get ready for when the prayers get answered. The keyword here is "prepare".
Ahab prepared his chariots and set off to jezreel but without Elijah, probably in his haste he forgot about him. But Elijah even though the rain had come, still waited behind until the hand of the Lord came upon him. Only then did Elijah gird up his loins and left on foot for jezreel and made it there, even before Ahab who was on the fast chariots. I said previously that the keyword is "prepare", even though Elijah saw the rain and could have gone with Ahab on the chariots, he intentionally waited upon the Lord to touch him, to confirm to him that all is well and that he can now go ahead. All this while Elijah was preparing himself for the appointed time when that which he heard would come to pass, and because he now saw the rain he didn't just jump without the full confirmation from God.
He chose Gods appointed time to embark on the trip to jezreel, and because he waited God accelerated his progress tremendously that he even got to the destination before the man on the fastest chariot. When your have waited upon the Lord for so long for a thing he has promised you, hold on to that till you get Gods full blessings to then go ahead.
In conclusion - When God gives you a word, you will not die waiting. The Lord will not break his word for you. He exalts his word over his priciples, therefore wait on the Lord and obey his instructions and he will elevate you at the appointed time.
Friday 7 October 2011
They Thought It Was Over, But It's Only Just Begun.
Bible text Hebrews 11: 1-3, 6, 24-29. Habakkuk 2: 1-4
Hebrews 11 - 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
Habakkuk 2 - 1 I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. 2 Then the LORD answered me and said:
“ Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. 4 “ Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
The just shall live by faith appears 4 times in the bible. God is trying to ensure this is pivotal in your life. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We can define substance as an 'underguarding', so your hope is your underguard.
Faith is a paradox to the natural unsaved mind, and Hope is an abstraction. When hope dies, decay sets in. The things that kill our hope are death, tragedy, disasters, delay, failure, greedy and selfish people, bad experiences, unfulfilled ambitions, to mention a few. Hope plays an important your life, and God says to start off with hope because without it, faith has nothing to anchor.
Why is Faith so important?
God created the universe by his word. The word made the things that weren't seen or visible, to become visible. In the realm of the spirit, what is not seen is superior than that which is seen. That which is not seen is what gives birth to that which is seen.
2Corinthians 4 - 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
It is because of their faith that Daniel was able to step into the Lions den and sleep till the morning, and for Jesus to sleep on the boat during the storm
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the word of God. And without faith it's impossible to please God. It is in God that your faith finds its substance.
There are 3 dimensions to your faith:-
The past, the present, the future. We can use bunches of bananas to describe these. A bunch of green banana represent the future. A bunch of ripe banana represent the present. A bunch of over-ripened banana represent the past.
Men would push aside the bunch of green bananas into the dark but not knowing that in the dark is where it will mature (it'll eventually blossom in its appointed time). Men would gobble up the bunch of ripe bananas as it is appealing (it is in its appointed time). Men will discard the over-ripened bunch of banana saying it has past its usage. (it's appointed time is over).
Lets focus on the over-ripened bunch of bananas. Even though it might seem it has passed its appointed time and is written off. If these bananas are peeled and put inside a bowl, pour some flour in, some oil, some salt, and mashed and mixed together, we can get a delicious tasty treat when it is fried.
In conclusion:- Even though the over-ripened bananas might have been written of, it still is useful and serves a purpose. Your life can be like that of an over-ripened bunch of bananas, and people might have written you off, but if you keep your focus and remain faithful to God, all things will work together for the good of those that love the Lord.
Hebrews 11 - 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
Habakkuk 2 - 1 I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. 2 Then the LORD answered me and said:
“ Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. 4 “ Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
The just shall live by faith appears 4 times in the bible. God is trying to ensure this is pivotal in your life. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We can define substance as an 'underguarding', so your hope is your underguard.
Faith is a paradox to the natural unsaved mind, and Hope is an abstraction. When hope dies, decay sets in. The things that kill our hope are death, tragedy, disasters, delay, failure, greedy and selfish people, bad experiences, unfulfilled ambitions, to mention a few. Hope plays an important your life, and God says to start off with hope because without it, faith has nothing to anchor.
Why is Faith so important?
God created the universe by his word. The word made the things that weren't seen or visible, to become visible. In the realm of the spirit, what is not seen is superior than that which is seen. That which is not seen is what gives birth to that which is seen.
2Corinthians 4 - 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
It is because of their faith that Daniel was able to step into the Lions den and sleep till the morning, and for Jesus to sleep on the boat during the storm
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the word of God. And without faith it's impossible to please God. It is in God that your faith finds its substance.
There are 3 dimensions to your faith:-
The past, the present, the future. We can use bunches of bananas to describe these. A bunch of green banana represent the future. A bunch of ripe banana represent the present. A bunch of over-ripened banana represent the past.
Men would push aside the bunch of green bananas into the dark but not knowing that in the dark is where it will mature (it'll eventually blossom in its appointed time). Men would gobble up the bunch of ripe bananas as it is appealing (it is in its appointed time). Men will discard the over-ripened bunch of banana saying it has past its usage. (it's appointed time is over).
Lets focus on the over-ripened bunch of bananas. Even though it might seem it has passed its appointed time and is written off. If these bananas are peeled and put inside a bowl, pour some flour in, some oil, some salt, and mashed and mixed together, we can get a delicious tasty treat when it is fried.
In conclusion:- Even though the over-ripened bananas might have been written of, it still is useful and serves a purpose. Your life can be like that of an over-ripened bunch of bananas, and people might have written you off, but if you keep your focus and remain faithful to God, all things will work together for the good of those that love the Lord.
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