His Christmas Presence

 His Christmas Presence, written by Greg Laurie

Bible Reading: Matthew 1

“For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” —Colossians 1:27

Abraham was called the friend of God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego experienced Christ walking with them through the fiery furnace. The Lord appeared to Manoah and his wife, Samson’s parents. And Jacob wrestled with God. But as close as these people were to God, they weren’t as close to Him as we could be. How is that possible? Jesus didn’t live inside their hearts, but He does live inside the hearts of Christians, inside the hearts of those who have committed their lives to Him. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Colosse, “And this is the secret: Christ lives in you” (Colossians 1:27 NLT). Here is the remarkable thing that we need to realize: No one is closer to God than those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. The real message of Christmas is that God came to Earth, and we’re not alone. When we get hold of that message, all other things won’t matter as much as they used to. Of course, we can celebrate Christmas and enjoy it as much as anyone else, but if we focus on what it’s really about, it becomes so much more meaningful. The essential message of the birth of our Lord is that we’re not alone in this world. Yes, Jesus came to Abraham, Jacob, Samson’s parents, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in a preincarnate appearance. But one day, God came to this world as a child, who grew into a man, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. Jesus has always been there, and He will be there to the very end. He said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT). The real message of Christmas is not presents; it’s Jesus’s presence. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.

God Incarnate

God Incarnate; written by Greg Laurie

Bible Reading: John 1:1-18

Focus Verse:"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed"  John 20:29

Did Jesus ever claim to be God? As a matter of fact, He did. For example, He said, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:23–24 NKJV). That was a clear statement of equality with God the Father.

We also know that on many occasions, Jesus accepted worship, something that was reserved for God alone. In fact, in the wilderness, when the Devil tempted Jesus to worship him, Jesus quoted Scripture: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:10 NKJV).

Jesus was underscoring the fact that worship is to be given to God alone. Yet, He accepted worship on many occasions. If He was not God, then He would have immediately stopped the people who worshiped Him.

As we read in the book of Revelation, an angel revealed some great truths to the apostle John. As a result, John was so overwhelmed that he fell down to worship the angel. But the angel told him, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God” (21:9 NKJV).

Yet Jesus accepted worship. We find an example of this after the resurrection, when He appeared before Thomas, who said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28 NKJV).

Jesus replied, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (verse 29 NKJV).

Now, if Jesus wasn’t God, He would have basically said, “Thomas, stop right now! That’s blasphemy!” But Jesus accepted worship because He was—and is—indeed God.

 

Reference: https://harvest.org/resources/devotions/

The Christmas Story is True

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 and Luke 2

Focus Verses: 1 Corinthians 1:18,28  “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction!  But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.  v.28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.”

The story of Christmas is the story of Jesus!  When I read the story of Christmas in Luke chapters 1-2, I believe this to be true.  I think, "How could someone even make up such a story?"  A virgin gave birth, angels appeared to people, wise men traveled from another country following a star to see a child, shepherds went to a stable to see a king born, and another king wanted to kill the baby fearing he would take over his throne. A person could not make up this kind of story even if they had a good imagination.  Yet a lot of people in the world do not believe this and say the things written in God’s Word the Bible are foolishness.  The above passage in 1 Corinthians says these unbelievers are headed for destruction.

God's Word says that Mary pondered in her heart all the things the angel told her.  I enjoy looking forward to the month of December and more specifically December 25th.  I find myself pondering the things of the Christmas story in my heart as well.  I wonder what it would have been like to live back in the day when Jesus came from heaven to earth to be born.  I am so glad He came!

Let’s not be like so many people who think this story is false and say it’s foolishness.  This Christmas story has great implications for all of humanity living on this earth.  The question is do you believe it?  The evidence is overwhelming that the Christmas story happened, but it takes faith for us to believe it, and one day our faith will be made sight.

 

Now, if you believe it, tell it!

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

The Distraction of Contempt vs Thanksgiving

 The Distraction of Contempt vs Thanksgiving

 

Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5

Focus verse: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

PSALM 123:3

What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. “Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously” (Malachi 2:16). Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. Until we get back into a quiet mood before Him, our faith is of no value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what rules our lives.

Beware of “the cares of this world…” (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by “the cares of this world.”

Another thing that distracts us is our passion for vindication. St. Augustine prayed, “O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.” Such a need for constant vindication destroys our soul’s faith in God. Don’t say, “I must explain myself,” or, “I must get people to understand.” Our Lord never explained anything— He left the misunderstandings or misconceptions of others to correct themselves.

When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.

 

The above is written by Oswald Chambers in his book "My Utmost for His Highest".

 

I want to focus on Thanksgiving, the attitude that is the cure for contempt.

On this American holiday of Thanksgiving, we realize that being thankful is a good step away from contempt.  We must be aware of keeping our mind trained on heavenly attitudes as we go through life.  

 

We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.  "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."2 Corinthians 10:5

 

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

 

I will end this devotion with asking that you read again 1 Thessalonians 5.  We much give thanks in all things. 

 

~Page Johnson

Interlocking Ministries, Kenya

 

The Humanity of Jesus

Scripture Reading: Philippians 2: 1-11

Focus Verses:  Philippians 2: 6-7  “Though He was God He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, He gave up His divine privileges, He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.”

As Christmas will soon be here there are some things about the life of Jesus that we should consider.  When Jesus was born into this world He was both God and human.  Jesus was God before He came to earth and He was God after He came to earth.  Verse 7 says Jesus became a slave or a servant, but He was still God.

Jesus also had experiences like you and I have.  He got hungry, He got tired, He felt sadness, He was tempted to do wrong, (but never sinned).   Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus understands our weaknesses because He faced the same things.

At the same time, we should consider Jesus' Lordship. You may see Jesus as a helpless baby laying in a manger.  But as our passage says, one day every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  For those of us that confess Him as Lord now will enjoy Heaven for all eternity.  But for those who confess Him as Lord much later will be separated from Him for all eternity.  It’s our prayer that you would confess Him now to be your Lord.  

 

We understand that the humanity of Jesus changes everything.  Jesus is God and man as he hung on that cross and paid for your sins and my sins.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

My Determined Purpose

Scripture Reading: Romans 12

Focus Verses: Romans 12: 1-2 "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

This past March we saw more than 800 people proclaim their new faith in Christ during a trip to Kenya.  We praise the Lord for touching their hearts.  News like this is a light in a very dark world.  I think Satan knows that his days are numbered, and he is doing everything he can to keep God's Kingdom from growing.  I believe there is only one way to live the Christian life during these times, and that is to be 100% sold out for Jesus, no turning back.  There are too many people living a half-way Christian life.  I was that way for 11 years after I got saved.  I took my faith for granted.  Then God showed me what I had been doing.  I committed my life to Him 100%.

If you continue living the Christian life half-way, please don't tell anyone that you are a Christian.  You heard me right, "please don't tell anyone you're a Christian".  Because if you call yourself a Christian and live like the world, then unsaved people will look at you and wonder why they would need Salvation.  There is no difference between you and the world.

The apostle Paul said that his determined purpose is to know Christ (see Philippians 3:10-14).  What is your determined purpose in life?  When you get up in the morning, what do you live for?  I know you may have your job to provide for your family, you may go to school, or you may take care of your children all day.  But you can do all those things with a Christ-like attitude, and live in such a way that people will see Christ in you.  The only Jesus that most people in this world will ever see is the Jesus that is lived out in our lives.  Can you say with Paul, "My determined purpose in life is to know Him"?  I hope so.  Think of how God used Paul: many people were saved, many churches were started, he wrote a lot of the New Testament that we hold as the very inspired Word of God.  Yet Paul realized he had so much more to learn.  It's hard to believe that Paul had the same struggles and temptations that we face, but he did.  Therefore, how much more should we be saying  "I want to be more like Christ this year."  Read Romans 12 again.  Paul gives us some good advice on how to be more like Christ.  As we seek to know Him, we will be transformed. (changed)

Let it be our goal to have someone look at our life and say "if that's a Christian, then I want to follow Christ too."

~Bobby Johnson

Walking With God, Not Sprinting

Scripture Reading: Genesis 5

Focus Verses: Genesis 5: 21-22  "Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.” 

The Bible says “Enoch walked with God”.  That would tell me that Enoch had a relationship with God, and liked to talk with God.  Have you ever tried to talk with someone when you are running very fast?  It’s not easy to do.  I’ve seen some people try to have a relationship with God when their lives are running very fast.  They go for a while then collapse, go for a while then collapse again.  When we walk with God it’s a continuous relationship.

How did Enoch choose to walk with God?  Enoch had a child named Methuselah when he was 65 years old. Then it says Enoch walked with God for three hundred years.  Could it be that having this child caused Enoch to walk with God?  I have seen this happen with people I know. They don’t really care about going to church or having a serious relationship with God until they start having children.  Suddenly they see the importance of their children having a relationship with God and therefore they themselves begin a relationship with God.  Maybe having a child helps them understand how to approach God in a humble way, like a child approaches a father.

God wants to have a relationship with you everyday and He proved it through Jesus (John 3:16).  God doesn’t want to see you sprinting and then collapsing on the sidelines for half your life, but walking with Him, allowing the Holy Spirit and His Word to guide your life. So let’s make a commitment to walk consistently with God everyday by reading His Word and praying.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Government Can't Save You

 Government Can't Save You
Bible Reading: Matthew 8:5-13
Focus Verse:   Matthew 28: 19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

What is the role of the believer in the politics of our world?  What is the role of the pastor?

Jesus, the Messiah, came at a time when the area was under Roman Rule and the people thought that He came to save them by overthrowing the government.  Those obsessed with that idea got frustrated and left Jesus because Jesus didn't speak to incite the people against Rome.  Those who understood heavenly eternity stayed by Jesus' side.  The reason He acted this way has to do with the nature of His kingdom - it was not of this world system. Jesus said that he was to be about his Father's business.  There were more important battles for Jesus and those were to heal our wicked hearts. 

Jesus did not come offering judgement on the rulers of the world, but mercy.  When the Roman soldier came to Jesus, there was no debate on the government, fair treatment, corruption, brutal slavery, but there was heavenly mercy.  In that mercy, the Roman had faith.  Can pursuing discipleship topple a corrupt government?  Some historians cite that the spread of Christianity contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire.

We should never look to the Government to save us, but maybe we can lead someone in government to the Savior.
What is the role of the believer in the politics of our world? To be a good citizen, vote if you can vote, obey the laws of the land, and submit to the earthly authority obeying the laws of the land. Romans 13   1 Peter 2:13-17  We are to be about our command: Matthew 28: 19-20  and focus on making disciples.  We can effect change in our communities through reaching the hearts.  It is not good to turn your mission field into your enemy.
What is the role of the pastor?  To be the shepherd of the believers, know Jesus, to whom you belong, follow Him and proclaim Him and the truth of the Word of God.  Boldness in love bring forth the light for the world that is lost in darkness.  Strengthen the church and the community will strengthen.  If all pastors do this, then the country will strengthen.  May God be glorified.

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Keeping our Eyes Fixed on Jesus

Bible reading Matthew 14:22-34 

Focus Verse: "Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water. “Yes, come,” Jesus said.  So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.” Matthew 14: 28-29

We all fall short of the Glory of God… and that’s expected.  (Rom 3:23) And and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (v 24)  This is the BEST NEWS EVER!  In our shortcomings, we look to the Lord.  David kept putting his face toward God in his pain, suffering and sin and God’s mercy and grace flowed freely.  Peter put his eyes on Jesus and walked on water, not because of who Peter was, but who our LORD is!  Mary Magdalene put her eyes on her savior and the past shame was in the depths of the ocean, never to be found.  She also put her perfume on his feet and with her face to his feet, wiped it with her hair in love, devotion and thanksgiving.  Lord, let me love you like this.  Let me keep my eyes on the Lord and my thoughts in line with His thoughts.

Helen Lemmel wrote this hymn in 1918 after reading a missionary tract from Lilias Trotter that included these words:   "Never has it been so easy to live in half a dozen harmless worlds at once – art, music, social science, games, motoring, the following of some profession, and so on. And between them we run the risk of drifting about, the good hiding the best. It is easy to find out whether our lives are focused, and if so, where the focus lies. Where do our thoughts settle when consciousness comes back in the morning? Where do they swing back when the pressure is off during the day? Dare to have it out with God, and ask Him to show you whether or not all is focused on Christ and His Glory. Turn your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him.”

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

Thro' death into life everlasting,

He passed, and we follow Him there;

O’er us sin no more hath dominion--

For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you--He promised;

Believe Him, and all will be well:

Then go to a world that is dying,

His perfect salvation to tell!"

 

~Page Johnson

God's Concern for Detail

Scripture Reading: Psalm 139:1-18

Focus Verse: Psalm 139:3  "You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.  Every moment you know where I am."

Any great accomplishment must have attention to detail.  Every artist knows that the masterpiece they complete is made up of thousands of details.  God, as well, has given a lot of attention to the details of His creation.  Let's not forget that God knows how many hairs are on our heads as stated in Luke 12:7.

In our scripture reading today David recognizes that God knows where we are at every moment.  Sometimes we may feel stressed with so many details in our lives.  But you can rest easy knowing that God never gets anxious about details.  He holds the whole galaxy of stars in his hand and controls every detail.  Yet he is concerned with every detail of your life and is there to help you.

For every problem we have, God has a solution.  Our biggest problem is sin but God has a solution for that, and His name is Jesus.  You can trust Him with whatever you are facing today.  Remember He loves you and wants to help you.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Jesus said, "You Will Have Troubles."

Scripture Reading: Job1:1-22   

Focus Verse: Job 2:10 Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never adversity?  So in all this Job said nothing wrong.

Sometimes in our lives we tend to remember all the bad things that have happened to us and forget the good things.  We remember Job for all the bad that happened to him.  But we should remember how Job had victory in spite of his adversity.  There were four things that were important to Job: his faith, family, friends and his fortune.  Satan tried to take all of them from Job hoping he would curse God.  Instead we see Job thinking on the goodness of God and worshiping His greatness.  Satan was probably the one cursing and not Job.  At no time do we see Job blaming God for these things.  God was enough for Job, with or without the other things Job had.  Job said in 13:15 "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him."

Do you bless God and praise Him even when you don't understand what is going on in your life?  Job's faith is a great lesson to us on how we can trust in God even though we may be going through unexplained trials.  Job did express his grief to God, and God wants us to cry out to Him also.  Remember Job for his victory during the trials and we can do the same with God's help.  Almighty God is enough.  We need nothing else.

"He who has God and everything else has no more than he who has God only".
C.S. Lewis

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Learn to Listen

Bible reading: James 1

Focus Verse: Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry." James 1:19

In order to serve the Lord together in the church or ministry, we need to have good relationships.   In order to build good relationships, you must become a good listener. And in order to be a good listener, you must do these: 

(1) Listen without interrupting. And that’s so, even when you know more than the person who is talking to you! Respect them enough to value what they say and listen attentively until they’re finished. 

(2) Try to understand their point of view, feelings, thinking, and needs. In other words, listen to understand. Good listening is hearing what people actually think, mean, or feel, not what you imagine they should think, mean, or feel. Instead of guessing, politely ask, “Am I understanding you correctly? Do you mean…? Are you feeling…?” Don’t assume—verify. 

(3) Avoid rushing to conclusions. Listen without judging. If what they say doesn’t quite add up, keep listening. “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Pr 18:13 NKJV). When you hear more, it may make sense. 

(4) Refrain from putting them on the defensive. Listen without correcting, countering, or devaluing. Saying, “That’s not the way it was,” or “What did you expect?” or “You’re just being silly and too sensitive” kills real communication. 

(5) Accept their perceptions and feelings as valid expressions of a valued person. Validate the speaker. By saying, “If I understand you correctly, you’re thinking…feeling…am I right?” Ask them to help you get on the same page with them. Saying, “Given what you have told me, I can see why you would feel that way” will increase their willingness to consider your thoughts and accept the solutions you offer. 

If you want to win people and influence them, learn to listen.

 

written by Dr. Don Wilton

The Encouraging Word

https://theencouragingword.org/daily-encouraging-word/

A Loving Father

 A Loving Father

Revelation 12:10  "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens. It has come at last salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sister has been thrown down to earth the one who accuses them before our God day and night."

There is a story that is told about a son who found himself in a situation where he had to stand guilty before a judge in a court of law.  The son really didn't know what to do.  But he was comforted, because his father, who loved him very much, went to great lengths to stand by his side and defend him on that day.  The son realized that his father was faithful and would not leave his side no matter what.  The judge ruled that the penalty must be paid, so the father paid the penalty.

Do you know that Satan, our accuser, is before God day and night accusing us of things we have done wrong?   The Bible says in Isaiah 33:21 "The Lord will be our Mighty One. He will be like a wide river of protection that no enemy can cross, and no enemy ship can sail on."  God has provided His Son to pay the penalty for our sin.  We need to take the step to follow Him. 

God is watching out for you.  Nothing happens to you that God does not first approve of.  That can be a very great comfort to us when we encounter such trials.  In this life we will have trials, but God always stands with you, helping you through.  God, our father, is faithful.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Our Instrument, The Bible

 Scripture Reading:  James 1:2-18

Focus Verses:  James 1:2-4  "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

In modern times travel by airplane is a very safe way to travel.  Although some accidents still occur.  Sometimes an airplane might crash because of pilot error or because of a malfunction of the airplane.  Every airplane has instruments that help the pilot to fly the airplane.  One instrument tells the pilot how high the airplane is, another tell him if the airplane is flying straight.  So the airplane has many instruments to help the pilot.  I remember flying with a friend who was a pilot and we were flying over the ocean going to the Bahama Islands and there were storms around us.  As we were flying in the storms all you could see around us were the clouds.  So the pilot had to keep his eyes on the instruments to tell him how to fly since he could not see the ground.  Then suddenly we came out of the clouds and I was surprised to see how close we were to the ocean.  But my friend the pilot was not surprised because he had been watching the instruments and knew right where the airplane was.

As we travel through life God has given us an instrument to faithfully guide us.  It’s called The Bible.  When we encounter storms in this life God Word will help us navigate safely until we get out of the storm.  James tells us we all will have these storms and trials.  Because we are all going to face hardship, storms and trials in this life.  You remember the storm that the disciples found themselves in on the sea.  They thought the boat would be destroyed and they would drown.  But there was really no need for concern because Jesus was in their boat, and He had total control over the situation.  

Are you using the instrument God has given us, His Word the Bible, as you navigate this life?   When you are caught in the storms of life is Jesus in your boat?  I hope so, because He is our only hope!

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Studying the Bible Keeps us Strong

 Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:9-24

Focus Verse: Psalm 119:9 "How can young people keep their lives pure?
    By obeying your commands."

God has given us an instruction manual for life.  It is called the Bible.  As Christians in this world we cannot overcome the enemy in our own strength.  "How can a man cleanse his ways?"  Not on his own.  On our own, we would struggle and fail.  We need help, and that help is available to us through the Bible.  Our focus verse ask a question.  How can we stay pure?  Verse 11 gives us the answer, by hiding God's Word in our hearts.  I wish I had memorized more scripture when I was young, because it is harder to do now that I am older.  In verse 24 he calls God's "testimonies" his counselor.  God will always show us and teach us as we read the Bible.

The study and application of God's Word will keep us from sin, even though we live in a sinful world.  When Jesus was tempted by the devil in Luke 4 we see Jesus quoting scripture with every temptation.  If you are a Christian and you don't have peace and joy in your life, you might have unrepentant sin and/or there may be a lack of Bible study and scripture memorization in your life. 

Some people view God's laws as a list of "DON'Ts", but these are really a shelter to protect us.  God gives us plenty of things we should "DO".   Take some time today to evaluate your spiritual strength.  Make a plan to increase the strength through God's Holy Word.


"Either God's Word will keep us from sin, or sin will keep us from God's word." ~Unknown

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Death, Taxes, and Sin

Scripture Reading: Genesis 4:7  “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

There is a saying that goes like this,  “the only sure things in life are death and taxes.”  Well I would like to add another sure thing “sin”.  Sin will be with us until this life on earth is over.  As a Christian did you know there are some things that you don’t need to pray about?  Because God has already told us to do some things and not to do some things.  For example, God told us it’s not okay to steal, so you don’t need to ask God if it’s okay to steal.

But then there might be some things you’re not sure if they are right or wrong to do.  We would call this a gray area.  Here are a few safeguards to help you decide if a gray area is okay or not.  

First, if you do this activity is it going to help you spiritually or hurt you spiritually?  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23  “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial.”  You should avoid anything that is not helping you spiritually.  Or anything that may keep you from praying and reading your Bible.

Secondly, you can ask yourself this question.  Will this activity try to control you?  Paul also writes in 1 Corinthians 6:12,  “I must not become a slave to anything.”  You should be controlled only by Christ.

Thirdly, what is your conscience telling you about this activity?  When your conscience is talking to you it’s really the Holy Spirit talking to you.  If your conscience is telling you not to do something, you better not do it because it’s probably sin.  Paul says in Romans 14:23 (NLT) “If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.”

Death and taxes we don’t have much control over, but sin we can have control over with God’s help.  I hope you will remember to ask yourself these three questions when you are faced with something you are not sure about.  With all the sin that is in the world today it doesn’t need to be a part of your life.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

God's Presence Should Bring a Difference

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6
Focus Verses 9-12 

"David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?”
He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.
Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing."

The presence of God in our lives should bring a difference in our lives. Every believer should have a testimony of when they got born again but that's not enough, there should be reflection of life changed. When God's word comes into our lives, it doesn't leave us the same people we were; there must be a testimony that a life changed. People around us should be able to tell the difference.

In our passage today, David tried to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. On their way, the oxen pulling the ark stumbled and Uzzah, one of the men helping with the oxen, decided to stretch his hand to prevent the ark from falling. This angered God and He killed Uzzah immediately. David was overcome with fear and decided not to take the ark of God to be with him in his house and took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Getitte. The ark of God stayed there for three months and people were able to see the new things that began to happen at Obed-Edom's home. They realized that the new happenings in Obed-Edom's home was a result of the ark of God that had been brought to his home by king David. The king gets the wind of how Obed-Edom was doing well and his life is changing greatly. David became envious of Obed-Edom and decided to go and bring the ark of God to Jerusalem.

In just three months, the people saw a difference in the home of Obed-Edom. They knew him before the ark went to his home and now how he had grown in three months after the ark was brought to his home. People envied him including the king himself since they could tell a big difference.

Believers should understand that whoever claims to have God must show evidence of a new life. We cannot say that God is present in our lives yet nothing shows that we are living a changed life. As it was with Obed-Edom, the difference should be clear as light and day. God's word doesn't leave us the same people, there must be a difference that others can admire. It's not about how many days you have stayed in salvation. The ark stayed at Obed's for only three months and there was a clear distinction between him and the community. You can cause a difference even if you are one week old provided you are willing to allow Him in and let Him take charge. As David admired the work the ark of God's Presence had done to Obed, so should be the heart of many people who see our lives today. We should live a life of blamelessness so that others will admire our God.

Reverend Eliazar Wambo

Director of Bethesda Faith Ministries

Everything is Meaningless Without God

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 1

Focus Verse: Ecclesiastes 1:14  “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless, like chasing after the wind.”

America and Kenya both have the lottery game.  The lottery is where you can pay a little money and have an unbelievably small chance to win lots of money.  Here in America someone just recently won $1 billion dollars. That's the same as 115 billion Kenya shillings.  If you want to know the truth, the real winner was the US Government because the tax paid by the winner to the government was $400 million dollars!  The government also got some money from all those tickets that were purchased.  So if you just enjoy giving the government money, the lottery is how you do it.

 

There are a couple reasons you should never play the lottery.  First, you will not win.  Did you know that your chance to win is very small. The chances to win the jackpot are 1 in 300,000,000. Let me put that into perspective.  If I had 300 million people write their names on little pieces of paper and we put all those little pieces of paper into one big pile on a field, do you think I could pull your name out of the pile?  The answer is NO!  The second reason you should never play is that money does not bring you happiness.  What about the winners? I was reading that most of the people who have won the lottery game have lost all that big amount of money within 7 years and some were even in debt, lost friends and family and their life is miserable.  They didn't find happiness.

Let's see what the Word of God says.  Solomon the writer of Ecclesiastes had it all.  He had money; he had power; he had women. Try and think of something in this world that could make you happy, and he probably had it. As he came near the end of his life, after trying to find happiness in all these things, he says in verse 2 “Everything is meaningless, completely meaningless.”  And verse 14 “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless, like chasing after the wind.”  Have you ever tried to catch the wind?  You can’t do it, it slips right through your fingers.  Proverbs 23:5 says, “In the blink of an eye money disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.”  Solomon had it all, and he realized it was all meaningless.  If you take God out of your life you will be left empty, meaningless and without purpose.  This world is looking for purpose and meaning that only God can fill.

 

Let's invest our lives for God and find true meaning and value.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

 

Illustration: This is a picture of 1 million coins.  Imagine 300 boxes of these coins and that is what 300 million would look like.  Pick one with your name on it?  You are chasing the wind.

Meaningless Requests

Scripture: Mark 10:35-40
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory. “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with? “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

Did you ever ask a question in class thinking that you have the best question only to realize that you asked a stupid question and everyone in your class or team is looking at you while laughing? I definitely know this can be so embarrassing and you may not like it at all and may look for a place to hide your face to keep you from the embarrassment.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, realized that Jesus was almost being put to death and that he was not going to be with them longer. They quickly think of a deal to be promoted and be allowed to sit on the sides of Jesus. Jesus looks at them and tells them that they did not know what they were asking for and they didn't know the trials that would come.
Many, at times, will pray prayers that are contrary to the will of God. We may want things to be done our way not knowing that God has them planned in a different format. We grieve God when we insist that we know it better and we make His Helper be of no value to us. In many such instances we fail terribly and think God has not answered. Actually, God’s answer can be NO and we have to accept that He still has the best answer for us. James and John walked with Jesus but still their request was not in line with God’s plan for them. It is possible that we as believers sometimes may ask what we ought not to have asked so we must be ready at all costs to let only His will be done as Jesus did in the Gethsemane encounter. Equally, when we walk to Him our focus should be His Kingdom and not our desires.
Romans 8:26-27 – "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searched the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." John 16:13-14 – "However when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify me for He will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Eliazar Wambo

Director Bethesda Faith Ministries

Pastor Makira Baptist Church, Mfangano Island, Kenya

Give Me a Drink

Scripture reading: John 4:1-26

Focus verse: John 4:7,9-10

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. )

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Imagine walking along the road and meeting with the president of your nation, whether the president of the United States or Kenya president. He looks at your hand and sees you taking some bites of crisps or French fries and he tells you, "give me a bite". How would you respond to such a request from the most powerful person in your land? What about if he goes further and asks if you may allow him to take a selfie with you? Would you deny him? What if he asks if you would be willing to take him to your home so that he may stay with you even for a night? So that you can tell him some of your needs and challenges, how would you feel? Yes, I can guess how you feel about this! For some, this can be an opportunity for lives to turn around, a fortune that has fallen on them.

Jesus met a woman by the well of Jacob. He asked the lady for a drink since He was thirsty and needed a drink. The woman quickly began to explain reasons why she couldn't give a drink to Jesus. Jesus challenged her about who was asking her for a drink. Jesus didn't get tired of her but kept their conversation alive. Jesus later made this lady know who He was by revealing to her more about how she had lived her life and how she had wandered in adultery. She then realized that the guest she was speaking to was a great Prophet. She finally gave her life to Jesus and became a good ambassador of God's kingdom.

Today, Jesus is asking for something from us. For some people, He wants them to open their hearts and accept Him as Lord and Saviour, while to some of us He is asking of our service to Him. He wants us to dedicate more of our time to him and have that personal and uninterrupted time with him. To some he is asking for our resources while to others he wants us to devote our gifts and talents for his services. Jesus needs people who can take the gospel of love to the less fortunate. The question is, what will you do with Jesus's request? We must put excuses aside and serve him. If you can't put off your president's request then you must not put off Jesus' request.

By Pastor Eliazar Wambo

Director Bethesda Faith Ministries 

Constantly Giving

Scripture Reading: Acts 4:32-37

Focus verse: "But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."
Acts 9:27

The original word for "encouragement" in the New Testament -- as when Barnabas is referred to as the "Son of Encouragement" (Acts 4:36) -- is from the same root as the word paraklete -- the Word used to describe the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26). Both words come from a root that means to be called alongside -- as an encourager like Barnabas or as a divine Comforter like the Holy Spirit.

An encourager is a person who dispenses courage to those who are weak or fearful. And in Barnabas' case, his generosity with courage should come as no surprise since he was also generous in other ways. For instance, he sold a piece of personal property and donated the money to help care for the needy in the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 4:36-37). And he generously introduced the new apostle, Paul, to the other apostles and leaders of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 9:27).

People who are generous are constantly giving things away: courage, money, introductions -- whatever is needed. Look around today and see what you have in abundance that others might be lacking.

Seeking empties a life while giving fills it.
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Devotion written by Dr. David Jeremiah