True Friends

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friends. Proverbs 27:17

We are made for friendships! But real friendship are never accidental, they are cultivated over time. The Bible says that the friends we make have deep impact on our lives. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits, ‘ and Proverbs 12:26 teaches us, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Therefore, we need to carefully select who we call our close friends

The Bible talks about some people who we need to avoid as close friends . Among them are lazy people (Prov. 15:19); angry people (Eccl. 7:9); immoral people (1 Cor. 5:9); and greedy people (Prov. 1:10-19). In choosing friends, what traits should you look for?

(1) Look for those who will help you to be wise. Friends are part of our education. Proverbs 13:20 says. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” Do your friends help you make wise decision or do they lead you astray? Do your friends bring out the best in your life? If not, find friends that will challenge you to do what is right.

(2) Look for those who will share your burdens. A friend can be counted on in a crisis. Galatians 6:2. “Bear one another’s burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” A friend is somebody ho sees you through when others let you down. Look for people who are not self-centered. True friends are not those who look out only for themselves.

(3) Look for those who will help you grow spiritually. We all need spiritual encouragement to grow. We need friends who will pray with us, life us up spiritually and help us keep our course for the Lord. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, ” And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Pursue friendships with people who know God and have a strong relationship with Him. True friends are not just people we socialize and have fun with. True friends are those who can help us grow in God. They are those who will pray with us when we are discouraged, guide us when we are lost, and stirs us to do good for the glory of God.

The Power Of Fasting

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bond of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6

The primary purpose for fasting is self humbling. It is the scriptural means, ordained by God, for us to humble ourselves before Him. When Ezra was leading the Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem, the route they took was most unsafe. Ezra had two alternative: to move in the natural by seeking help from the Persian king, or to experience the supernatural by trusting in God’s divine protection. He chose God. Exra and the exiles fasted and humbled their soul before God and God protected them (Ezra 8:21-23).

In 2 Chronicles, we read that Judah was surrounded by three armies from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. King Jehoshaphat and his people were outnumbered and, logically speaking, they were at a crippling disadvantage. However, the people of God humbled themselves, fasting to seek God’s help (20:2-4). As a result, “the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated” (20:22). By fasting, God’s people renounced the natural to invoke the supernatural. The most natural thing for us to do is to eat. When we give up eating, we are deliberately turning away from the natural by turning to God and to the supernatural.

Before Jesus entered His public ministry, He was led buy the Spirit into the wilderness where he had a confrontation with Satan. Prior to that battle, He fasted 40 days, humbling Himself before God, which subsequently led to His victory over the devil (Luke 4:1-2). “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region” (4:14). it is one thing to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but another thing to be in the power of the Spirit. Jesus says, ”Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believers in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12). If we want to live a life of victory over Satan and do the powerful works that Jesus did, then it seems logical that we must also begin where Jesus began—with fasting

Fasting is to loose the bond of wickedness, undo the heavy burden, free the oppressed, and break every yoke of the devil. So when our backs are against the wall; when the enemies surround us; when temptation seems too overwhelming for us to bear, when our ministry lacks the power of the Spirit, God has ordained fasting as a means by which we can humble ourselves before Him in order to invoke the supernatural for our miraculous victory!

Anger Management

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32

In this world that we live in, we can be constantly stressed by work and life in general. As a result, one of the most common emotions that surfaces is anger! We can get angry with practically anything that doesn’t go right! God has created us with the capacity to get angry. We cannot ask Him to take away the emotion of anger or we will become dysfunctional, sedated and dull. What we need to do is to rightly manage it. God told Cain that he had to learn to manage his anger (Gen. 4:1-7).

How do you manage your anger?

(1) Reflect before you react. Don’t be impulsive. So many people say things in anger that they later regret. Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.” Ask yourself three questions that will help you learn about your anger: Why am I angry? What do I really want? How can I get what I want? Anger is never really the root problem in your life. It is a symptom, a warning light that tells you something is wrong. We are angry primarily because of three things: hurt, fear and frustration. What we want is acceptance, love and security and we will not get them by being angry. Instead, we should begin praying and changing the way we act.

(2) Release your anger appropriately. There are good and bad ways to release anger. Some books teach you to express your anger by venting it out! But remember: when you have anger outbursts, it only makes you angrier and it comes back to you because what you sow is what you will reap! Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” So do you suppress your anger? No, you confess it. Admit it to yourself, to others, and to God! And even more importantly, admit why you’re angry.

(3) Renew your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The way you act is determined by the way you feel. The way you feel is determined by the way you think. If you want to change the way you act, you’ve got to change the way you think.

All anger is learned. Since it’s learned, it can be unlearned. James Dobson says this, “Successful marriages are not those where anger or confl ict does not exist. But rather, successful marriages are those where couples have learned to manage their anger.” Will you make up your mind to resolve the anger in your heart today? Will you ask God to help you control and manage your anger? There is a saying: “Hurting people hurt others. But loving heals people—both the ones giving it and the ones receiving it.”

Walk Humbly Before Your God

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

“Walk humbly before your God.” What does it mean to be humble?

Being humble is the opposite of being proud. Pride says “I have done it all myself.” Humility says “Every good gift I have was given to me by God.” Pride says “I am the king of the world.” Humility says “Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I am His servant.”

Pride says “I am the best.” Humility says “Let me prefer others above myself and give to others.” Pride and selfishness say “It is all about me.” Humility says “My time on earth is short; let God love others through me.” Pride says “What has been given to me is all for me to use and enjoy.” Humility and love say “What has been given to me is for me to bless others as well as to enjoy.”

It is not easy being humble. The Bible says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5 - 11

So, this week, let us pray and ask God

• To help us love Him and love others and be humble and not proud
• To think of others more than ourself
• To bless and keep and protect the staff team at Global Media Outreach

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. God knows everything about you and He loves you so much He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for your sins and my sins. You can go to bed every night knowing that our Father in heaven loves you very much.

May God bless you,

The Wholesome Tongue

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:4

When the tongue is guided by the Spirit of God and by the words of the Holy Scripture, it can impart truth and elicit thoughts which may be salutary to those who come under their influence. God planted the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9), and whoever ate from it—whether man or animal—would find life. Today, where can we find the tree of life?

According to Proverbs 15:4, it can be found from the wholesome speech that flows out from a man’s tongue. An unwholesome tongue on the other hand brings forth death. The Bible commands, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29, NIV).

What are unwholesome talks?

(1) Foul language. “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave” (Ps. 5:9, NLT). This kind of language produces death. As believers, we ought not to allow our mouths to speak any curses or foul language because we sing praises to God with our mouth. “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh”
(James 3:10-12).

(2) Lies. “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish” (Prov. 19:9). Lying does not benefi t the hearers; it also brings death to the one who lies. Acts 5 gives a very solemn account of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit, and were immediately struck dead. King David says, “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence” (Ps. 101:7). Similarly, God who has veracity would not allow a liar to continue in His presence.

(3) Gossip. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul warned that in the last days, perilous times will come and we are to stay away from a particular group of people—slanderers. Slanderers are malicious gossipers. The name “Devil” (Gr. diabolos) means one who slanders another for the purpose of injury; a maligner. When you gossip, you are associating yourself with the devil. In 1 Timothy 5:11-15, Paul warns Timothy of some younger widows who “learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies,” that they have “turned aside after Satan.” Gossip never brings life but death. Decide today to guard your tongue. Set it apart to speak wholesome words that bring life and grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Praying in the Spirit

Romans 8:26 …… In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

We have already established what prayer is and what prayer is not. Now, it is time to look at how to pray effectively.

Prayer is hearing God and declaring what He says. The key in this is hearing God. Every born again and baptised in the Holy Spirit Christian can hear God, we simply need to learn how to listen. God is so creative that he can communicate to us in any way He chooses.

We learn from Romans 8:26 (above) that one such way can involve the use of Tongues. God wants Christians to have this Spiritual gift; ask God to give you it and He will. Use the Gist Video this week as a catalyst to help you if you do not already speak in tongues and follow this link if you need more help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-CE2THFaOQ

However, the focus here is not the gift but the purpose for the gift. When we exercise the Gift of Speaking in Tongues it will stir-up the Holy Spirit within us and when this happens, the complementary gift of the Interpretation of Tongues will help us to understand what we are saying. We can then pray the will of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit and we can press-in deeper as we pray with the Spirit and the understanding.

This kind of effective, fervent prayer is like white-water rafting with the Lord, it has all the thrills and spills of riding the rapids. It is dynamic and exciting. It is overcoming prayer; mighty to the pulling down of strongholds and removing obstacles that would try to block us. It is mountain-moving prayer.

Why are we waiting? Rise up army of God and let us begin to see the kingdom of God advance upon the Devil and his dark, depressing, debauched and deceptive lies that are the foundation of his world.

Passionate, praying Christians are not weak and impotent. We have an arsenal of primed prayer missiles that will hit every target that God helps us to identify. We can destroy the works of the enemy and establish the will of God against sickness, poverty, depravity and hopelessness. The victory belongs to Jesus.

Lord Jesus, shake us out of our apathy and stir us up to battle. Amen

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP36OM7F0kA

The Fear Of God

The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death. Proverbs 14:27

The fear of God is an awesome reverence and respect toward God. It is knowing that He is totally righteous and full of mercy and truth, compensating and rewarding the obedient in faith, and judging, chastening and punishing the disobedient. Whatever you fear the most, you will worship. David in his worship to Jehovah wrote the psalm, “Unite my heart to fear Your name” (Ps. 86:11). There is no single aspect of the Christian life that carries with it greater promise of blessing than to the man who walks in the fear of the Lord. The promises of the fear of God will flow like a fountain of life. It brings:

(1) The promise of wisdom. “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding’” (Job 28:28). A man is only wise if he fears God. And he is a wise man because God is able to direct the steps of his life as a result of living his life in the fear of the Lord.

(2) The promise of spiritual cleansing. “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:9). The fear of God is like a disinfectant that keeps you morally and spiritually clean.

(3) The promise of guidance, instruction and prosperity. “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant” (25:12-14).

(4) The promise of long life. “The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened” (Prov. 10:27). The fear of God will help us discern and avoid the pitfalls in life that may hinder our destiny.

(5) The promise of deliverance from all other kinds of fear. “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confi dence, and His children will have a place of refuge” (14:26). Because God is in control of your life, if you fear God, he will deliver you from all other fears.

(6) The promise of abiding satisfaction and freedom from evil. “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil” (19:23). God will give us the ability to go through our problems without devastating our lives. Our lives will never be disturbed.

(7) The promise of a secure future. “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life” (22:4). What is the conclusion then? Solomon, the wisest man on earth, at the end of his life puts it this way: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Eccl. 12:13).

Live To Give

There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. Proverbs 13:7

Today, we live in a self-centered society where everything revolves around selfgratification. People are pursuing things that appeal to their senses and their desire for pleasure. As long as we are focused on our own interests and our own desires, we are destined to become dissatisfied. We think that when we get everything we want, we will be happy. In fact, the opposite is true: the more we live for self, the more miserable we will be. Jesus never encouraged His followers to live for themselves. Instead He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24). The Amplified Bible says it like this: “Let him disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests.” Jesus is saying that if we are going to follow Him, we will be asked to live very unselfi sh lives. We would have to learn to put the interests of others above our own.

Do you want to experience real happiness and true riches? Learn how to live to give. Jesus did, and He has always encouraged His followers to do likewise. God has a very specific plan for your life and part of that plan involves the giving of yourself to others. It’s that simple. John Bunyan said, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who cannot pay you back.”

Make the decision that you are going to be a giver, and then look for ways to give. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking that you’ll automatically become a giver after all your problems are solved. No! One of the keys to seeing God work in your life is when you start giving, even though you are still in need. If you want your dreams to come to pass, help someone else’s dream along. If you want to be happy, strive to bring happiness to others. And if you want God to prosper you, see if you might be able to prosper someone else!

Jesus said that in God’s kingdom, nothing lives until it dies. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies,” He said, “it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24). Think of your life as a seed, and your selfish desires as the shell of that seed. As long as that outer shell is in place, the seed will never take root and grow. But once that outer shell is removed, the seed begins to put forth roots, eventually breaking the ground and blooming.

If you want to be blessed, get rid of that outer shell of selfishness and put your roots down deep in God. Begin each day by asking God to show you not just how you can be blessed, but how you can be a blessing to someone else.

The Blessing Of The Righteous

A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but a man of wicked intentions He will condemn. Proverbs 12:2

There is a marked difference between the righteous and the wicked in both their characteristics and in their condition.

(1) The righteous has the favor of the Lord (Prov. 12:2). The favor of God brings God’s blessings and protection. “For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield” (Ps. 5:12).

(2) The righteous is firmly established (12:3). The righteous have their lives rooted in the Word of God, which is Christ Jesus—our Rock and foundation. Matthew 7:24-25 says, “whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”

(3) The words of the righteous bring deliverance (Prov. 12:6). The favor of God upon the righteous makes him a problem-solver, and an overcomer. God gives wisdom to the righteous so that he has an answer to every problem.

(4) His blessings are continued to his children (12:7). The blessings of the Lord upon the righteous are for a thousand generations. “You shall not bow down to idols nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Deut. 5:9-10).

(5) The righteous is commended for his wisdom (Prov. 12:8). He enjoys a good reputation and he is praised for his wisdom.

(6) The righteous shall be satisfied with plenty of bread (12:11). God will provide for the righteous, he will not need to suffer lack or insuffi ciency. The psalmist says in Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.”

(7) The labor of the righteous shall not be without results (Prov. 12:12). God will prosper the work of his hands.

(8) The righteous shall come out of trouble triumphant (12:13). “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Ps. 34:17).

(9) The righteous shall be satisfied with good (Prov. 12:14). The Bible says no good thing will God withhold from those who are upright before Him. (10) The righteous will enjoy divine protection (12:21) “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Ps. 34:19). As you continue to walk in righteousness before God, you can confess the blessings of the righteous over your life! But if there are areas in your life that you need to repent from, do it now and get rid of every evil or wicked intention in your life!

Soul Winning

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30

This verse tells us that the believer who wants to win souls must be wise, intelligent and skillful. Soul-winning is not just a task to be done; it is an art to be mastered. “To win” means to accept, to draw, to in-fold, to mingle, to be intertwined and to be meshed together. In other words, “to win” is to build relationships. Soul-winning must therefore be relational. The way we win people is through building great relationships. The Berkeley translation says, “he who wins friends is wise.” As such, we win people to the Lord by fi rst winning them over as friends. People don’t really care how much we know until they know how much we care.

How do we skillfully build successful relationships?

(1) Serve one another.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus did not come behaving like a prima donna. Instead, He was known as “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matt. 11:19). He was able to win many to Himself because He served them sincerely.

(2) Give to others.
“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men” (Prov. 18:16). If you are generous to people, doors will be open for you to connect with them. Be a giver.

(3) Be interested in other people.
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4). Make everyone you meet feel important and signifi cant.

(4) Esteem others.
“Let nothing be done through selfi sh ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (2:3). To esteem means to honor and to praise. Praise people generously, even for their smallest achievements.

(5) Encourage others.
“Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds” (Heb. 10:24, NLT). Encouragement inspires courage which transforms ordinary people into extraordinary ones.

(6) Smile.
“A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health” (Prov. 15:30, NLT). People are attracted to happiness.

(7) Fulfill the royal law.
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well” (James 2:8). Treat others the way you want yourself to be treated. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). As we love people and build sincere, genuine friendships with them, we will win them over. And in that process, we will win them to the Lord.

God Rewards The Diligent

He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 10:4

The Bible consistently speaks of poverty as a penalty for wrongdoing or wrong thinking. God never uses poverty, insufficiency or lack to reward His children for obedience or proper behavior. Just consider the following: Poverty is the penalty for a slack hand or laziness (Prov. 10:4). Poverty is destructive (10:15). Poverty is the penalty for stinginess (11:24). Poverty is the penalty for stubbornness (13:18). Poverty causes separation (19:4). Poverty is the penalty for gluttony and drunkenness (23:20-21). Poverty is the penalty for associating with vain persons (28:19-20). Poverty is the penalty for get-rich-schemes (28:22). Throughout the Scriptures, prosperity is presented as a reward while poverty is presented as a penalty. Proverbs 10:4 tells us that there is a particular group of people whom God will reward with riches—the diligent. In what areas must we be found diligent?

1. Be diligent in seeking the Lord. “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” (Heb. 11:6). Though King Uzziah was just sixteen years old when he began to reign in Jerusalem, the Bible records that as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper (2 Chr. 26:1-5). Jesus tells us to “seek fi rst the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).
2. Be diligent in studying and applying the Word of God. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Ps. 1:1-3).
3. Be diligent in our callings. “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations” (Prov. 27:23-24). This command is directed to husbandmen, shepherds and those that deal in cattle, but it is to be extended to all other lawful callings. Whatever our business or area of work, we must be diligent to give our attention and take the trouble to inspect the work. As the saying goes, “You cannot expect what you don’t inspect.” God will reward the hand of the diligent with prosperity.

Forsake Fooliness

Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding. Proverbs 9:6

Proverbs 9 begins with an invitation for us to enter Wisdom’s house: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here” (9:4). The door to Wisdom’s house stands open to all those who would ask, seek and knock. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). God shows no favoritism to any man. He gives liberally to all. As our Father, He wants all of us to be wise. Proverbs 9:6 gives us two important requirements to obtain wisdom:

(1) Forsake foolishness. The fi rst step toward wisdom is to shun foolishness, and therefore to shun the fool. Forsake the foolish and avoid conversing with them. Do not conform to their ways and have no fellowship with the works of darkness, or with those that deal in such works. “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Cor. 15:33, NIV). Who is a fool? A fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1). A fool curses the name of God (74:18). A fool is destroyed by his own complacency (Prov. 1:32). A fool believes everything he is told (14:15). A fool is shown by being thoughtless, irrational and reckless (14:18). A fool can’t learn by listening; he can only learn by being punished (21:11). A fool doesn’t plan for the future; he goes on blindly and suffers the consequences (22:3). A fool will never fi nd honor (26:1). A fool loves silly arguments (26:4). A fool repeats his mistakes again and again, as he never learns (26:11). A fool deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking” (26:19). A fool despises wisdom and instruction (1:7). A fool is loud, brash and noisy (9:13). A fool is a grief to his parents (17:25). Ask yourself: Are you walking in the ways of the foolish as shown in the book of Proverbs? The Bible commands us to forsake foolishness and also to forsake those who are foolish.

(2) Go in the way of understanding. It is not enough to forsake foolishness and the fool; we must also join ourselves with those that walk in wisdom, and walk in the same steps that they are walking. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). Therefore choose your companions carefully. If you want to live a good life, depart from fools and associate yourself with the wise.

The Anointing Oil

It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. Isaiah 10:27

During the reign of King Hezekiah, Jerusalem suffered from heavy taxation imposed by Sennacherib, the Assyrian king. Instead of relying on his own military strength, Hezekiah sought the Lord for deliverance from that evil oppression. The Bible tells of a miraculous defeat of the Assyrians by the angel of the LORD (2 Kin. 19:35-36). Isaiah says the enemy was destroyed because of the anointing.

Assyria is like a picture of the devil oppressing people’s lives. What will it take to break the yoke of the devil? It is the anointing of God. Jesus cast out demons “with the finger of God” (Luke 11:20) and “by the Spirit of God” (Matt. 12:28). Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). Jesus depended on the anointing of the Holy Spirit for ministry. And that same anointing of the Holy Spirit is now abiding in Jesus’ believers (1 John 2:27). Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we can break the power of the devil and enforce the victory of the cross.

As such, if we depend on the anointing and yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit more and more, we will find rest in God. We will find success in what we do and, at the same time, there will be no tension, stress or anxiety because the anointing of God does the work! The anointing is a tangible, spiritual substance. In the story of the woman with the issue of blood, it was described that Jesus felt power (the anointing) going out of Him. The woman simultaneously felt the anointing come into her and she was completely healed (Mark 5:30). The anointing is something that is very spiritual. Our bodies are temples that house the Holy Spirit and the power of God. The anointing permeates our bodies with life, our emotions with joy and peace, our minds with understanding and our spirit with inspiration. The anointing lives within the cells of our body.

The anointing oil also revives and refreshes our spirit. In biblical times, when guests arrive at the home of their host after a long journey under the sun, they would be greeted with a basin of water to wash their hands and feet. Then they would be anointed with fresh aromatic oil, which revitalizes them. This is exactly what happens when we receive the Holy Spirit at conversion. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” The word “refreshing” (Gr. anapsuxis) literally means “a recovery of breath, or a revival.” So in the presence of the Lord, the anointing refreshes and revives us. That is why it is so important that we constantly experience the presence of God everyday in our lives. Let us have a fresh encounter with the Lord so that the anointing comes upon us afresh.

Prayer

Romans 8:26 ……. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Prayer is an awesome privilege, it is powerful and life-changing. It is not about mumbling a list of requests or even about dialogue with God. It is about speaking out prophetic proclamations of faith inspired by the Holy Spirit.

If our prayers do not come through revelation by the Holy Spirit, what then are we saying? Jesus taught his disciples (us) to pray in Matthew 6: 9-13 . It is the will of God that we will pray His will to be done on earth and God reveals His will to us by the Holy Spirit. If we are not hearing the Holy Spirit what are we praying?

This is dangerous because what we say is extremely potent. Our words are able to build-up or destroy; to bless or to curse. Our prayers should not come from our minds, they should not even come from our hearts. They should only come by way of revelation from the Holy Spirit.

Yet, as we see from Romans 8:26 (above), many of us do not know how to pray. Sadly, this means that what we think of as prayer can be working against the will of God. Unless we are expressing what God has inspired us to say, our prayers are not only soulish and counter-productive, they can be very dangerous.

It is like giving children a bomb to play with, not only will they destroy themselves but they will damage and destroy much of what is around them. Well meaning but naïve Christians can be doing more harm than good.

To pray effectively we need to spend time in the presence of God listening. When we have heard God speak to us we will know His will and then we can begin to pray as Jesus taught us.

Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us how to pray. Amen.

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMRl9A4ARok

Avoid Sexual Sin

For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men. Proverbs 7:26

Here in Proverbs 7, King Solomon writes as a minister and a prophet (who is by office a watchman) to give warning of the approach of the enemies, so that we may not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, but may know where to double our guard. He gives an account of a person who laid himself open to the temptations of a prostitute. This subsequently led to his destruction. The glory of young men is their strength (Prov. 20:29). Yet we read here about a young man who had fallen into sexual sin. What were the mistakes of this young man?

1. He was a young man void of understanding (7:7). A man who lacks understanding does not know how to depart from evil (Job 28:28). He becomes an easy prey for Satan. So how do we get “understanding”? The psalmist says, “Through Your precepts I get understanding” (Ps. 119:104). Therefore to gain understanding, we need to live our life according to the Word of God.
2. He kept company among the simple ones (Prov. 7:7). “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). This young man should have associated himself with those who were upright and wise. Then he would not have fallen into the snare of the evil one.
3. He was sauntering and strolling along the streets aimlessly (7:8). One of the sins of Sodom was the abundance of idleness (Ezek. 16:49). An idle mind is the devil’s playground. Remember in the parable of the workers in the vineyard, there was a group of people standing idle in the marketplace (Matt. 20:3-6)? What was the solution for their idleness? WORK! Churches are not growing because Christians are spiritually unemployed. Let us stop idling and start getting down to He was awork for the kingdom of God.
   
4. He was a night-walker (Prov. 7:9). He was a man who despised truth and was living in darkness and hypocrisy. He could possibly have been living in secret sin and thought no one would know. Isaiah proclaimed, “Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD, and their works are in the dark; they say, ‘Who sees us?’ and, ‘Who knows us?’” (Is. 29:15) So what must we do to stay away from sexual sin? Let’s hold on dearly to the Word of God; keep company with the wise; live everyday in the light and serve God with purpose. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Praise The Lord

“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him!” Psalm 147:1

Jesus said the two greatest commandments were to " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

So when we go to church or spend time with other Christians, let us not just think of ourselves; let us think of how we can love God and love others. How can we express love to God? One way is at church to sing and praise Him and thank God for all our blessings. We can praise God for who He is and also for His wonderful works in our lives. We can also express love to God for caring for those who are poor and unfortunate and needy. Jesus said “’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.’”

At church and other places, we can also love others as ourselves. You can teach Sunday school; you can care for children. You can pray for others. You can serve in many ways. Even Jesus Christ, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, came and served and ministered to others. So when you go to church or to spend time with other Christians, ask God how you can help be a blessing to them.

So, this week, let us pray that God will

• Help us know how to express love to Him
• Help us be a blessing to others in church and everywhere
• Protect and fill our Global Media Outreach staff with His Holy Spirit
  

THANK YOU so much for your prayers as we seek together to serve our wonderful Lord and reach the world for Jesus Christ.

May God bless you,

The Call To Missions

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He declared to the disciples that He has taken back all the authority which Adam had lost to Satan because of the Fall. He then commissioned His disciples and all believers to commit to the great task of bringing the gospel to the whole world (Matt. 28:18-20). Indeed, Jesus is coming back again. But before He does so, the gospel must be preached to all the peoples of the world (24:14).

God’s desire is that all men would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” But how shall the unbelievers believe in Him unless there is a preacher (Rom. 10:14)? The question that Isaiah heard in his vision is still ringing from heaven today: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”

World missions is the responsibility of every believer. The purpose of Pentecost is for world missions (Acts 1:8). When the 11 disciples of Jesus were endued with power from on high, they went everywhere preaching the gospel with signs and wonders accompanying. In one generation, they brought the gospel message to the entire known world. In these last days, God is again pouring out His Spirit upon His people for one reason—that we might bring the gospel message to the world.

In Luke 19:44, Jesus talks about His first coming, that Jerusalem did not know the time of their visitation. The word “time” (Gr. kairos) means a time of opportunity. Jesus could come back anytime now in our generation. He is delaying His second coming for one and one reason alone: So that more and more people will have a chance to hear the gospel and be given the opportunity to believe on Him for salvation. Let us therefore recognize the kairos time of opportunity that we have now to witness for Christ. Because the day will come when Jesus will appear for the second time and, by then, it will be too late.

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Jesus is the Lord of the harvest and He is sending more laborers into the harvest fi eld. He said of Himself, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4). Will you be a laborer of the harvest like Jesus? Will you respond like Isaiah, “Here am I! Send me”? Decide to make every soul-winning opportunity count. Seize every kairos moment to share the gospel and be a witness for Jesus!

Overcoming Guilt

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

God loves us and longs to fellowship with us. He draws near to us when we draw near to His presence. However, guilt has been the greatest barrier that keeps believers from the presence of God. Though Christ has fully redeemed us and forgiven us of our sins, many Christians still labor under the load of guilt that leaves them feeling separated from God. Why is that so? Because we have an enemy. Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan is the accuser of the brethren. His main job everyday is to make the believer aware of his sins, accusing him and robbing him of the victory that Jesus has won for us on the cross of Calvary.

How do we overcome the devil and his accusations? Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” It is by our testimony of what the blood of Jesus has accomplished for us. If we don’t confess by faith the power of the blood of Jesus and what it has accomplished for us, the blood will remain ineffective and we will come under the guilt trap.

What does the Word of God say about the blood of Jesus?

1. The blood brings redemption from Satan’s power. We are no longer slaves to the devil, but we are redeemed through Jesus’ shed blood to become children of God (Eph. 1:7).
2. The blood brings forgiveness of sins. We are free from judgment and condemnation because Jesus’ shed blood brings forgiveness of all our sins (Eph. 1:7).
3. The blood cleanses us from all sin. Through Jesus’ shed blood, not only are our sins forgiven, we are washed as white as snow (1 John 1:7).
4. The blood brings justification. Through the blood, we have been made righteous and God restores to us a right standing with Him “just as if” we have never sinned (Rom. 5:9).
5. The blood brings sanctification. Jesus’ blood makes it possible for us to belong to God; to be truly holy and set apart to Him (Heb. 13:12).

Therefore let us boldly declare and testify of what the blood of Jesus has accomplished for us. There is no condemnation and guilt imposed on believers who have received by faith Jesus’ redemptive work through His blood. “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His fl esh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:19-23).

Giving Our First Fruits

Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase. Proverbs 3:9

The hosts of heaven cry out, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Rev. 4:11). It is our rightful duty to honor God as the Creator of the universe. The book of Proverbs tells us that we are to honor Him with our possessions. We have to recognize that we are not owners, but stewards of the wealth and substance that God has entrusted to us. God wants us to be good stewards. Good stewardship is the ability to manage the things God entrusts to us. Our stewardship is constantly being tested by the Lord. “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). Stewards must be faithful. One test of this is in the giving of the firstfruits.

“Firstfruits” (Gr. aparche) mean a beginning of sacrifice, or very literally, the first fruit. It is what you set apart at the beginning to be an offering to the Lord. The offering of the firstfruits is a representation of your relationship with God. If you love and honor Him, you would give your best to Him.

In Genesis 4, Cain and Abel came before God to honor Him with their possessions. Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord (Gen. 4:3). The offering he gave was not something that was precious or had signifi cant value. It was a portion of the excess fruit from his harvest. But Abel’s offering was different. It was the firstlings (firstfruits) of the flock—the best he had, and the fat thereof—the best of his best. Abel offered neither the lame, the lean, nor the rejected. He gave his best to God. Abel’s offering was accepted but Cain’s was rejected. Hence, everything that is for the name of the Lord must befit His Majesty—it must be the choicest of our possession. Whether it is material or immaterial, God should have the fi rst and best of our time, gifts, strength and service.

The firstfruits are also a representation of the entire harvest. If the firstfruits are sweet, the rest of the harvest is also sweet. If the firstfruits are bad, the rest of the harvest is going to be bad. Jesus Christ is known as the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:23). The resurrected Christ had a new, glorious and immortal body. We can have this hope that one day we too can partake of the same resurrection that Christ had—a new, glorious and immortal body.

So we see that God will never offer or do anything for us that is mediocre or second graded. God has never given anything to His children other than His very best. We must have this same kind of attitude. As stewards of His creation, let us be found faithful. Let us honor the Lord with the best of our possessions. Let us never compromise on the quality of our gifts to Him. “So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God” (10:31, AMP).

God's Medicine Bottle

For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:22

Proverbs 4 gives us God’s prescription for healing and good health. The word "health" (4:22) literally means medicine. God is Jehovah Rapha—the Lord who heals—and He has a divine medicine that can cure all diseases. This divine healing comes by the power of the Word of God: "He sent His word and healed them" (Ps. 107:20). God’s Word produces physical healing. Whenever a doctor prescribes medicine, he expects his medication to be taken regularly and according to the directions. The same is true with God’s "medicine" in Proverbs. The directions are "on the bottle" and no cure is guaranteed if you do not follow it.

Proverbs 4:20-22 outlines four steps in receiving the healing power of God’s Word:

1. "Give attention to my words" (4:20a). So often, we read God’s Word with divided attention. Our minds are so preoccupied by the "cares of this world" (Matt. 13:22), that it causes the Word of God to become unfruitful. For God’s Word to produce the healing effects in our bodies, we must shut out the things of the world and give our complete attention to God.
2. "Incline your ear to my sayings" (4:20b). An inclined ear implies an attitude of spiritual hunger, humility and teachability. Stubbornness and unbelief limit the effects of God’s Word in our lives. Jesus warned us against the traditions of men that make God’s commandments of no effect. Traditional religious ideas, prejudices and preconceptions often stop miracles from happening. Therefore, always stay open and hungry to the Word of God.
3. "Do not let them depart from your eyes" (4:21a). To receive the benefits of physical healing promised in God’s Word, it is necessary to keep both eyes totally fixed on the promises. A double-minded Christian will receive no miracle from the Lord (James 1:7-8). Do not be overly concerned by the symptoms of the sickness. Instead focus on His Word with unwavering faith.
4. "Keep them in the midst of your heart" (4:21b). The heart is the inward center of the human personality. Our heart controls the whole course of our lives and all that we experience (4:23). As such, if we allow the Word of God to enter our spirit regularly through our ears and eyes, it will have the power to effect life to our souls and health to our fl esh. Therefore, give time to the Word of God, because it is "life to those who find [it], and health to all their flesh."

Wisdom From God

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

Proverbs tells us that wisdom is the principal thing in life. Therefore in all our getting, we must get wisdom (Prov. 4:7). Where do we begin in our search for wisdom? Romans 16:27 declares, “to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.” God alone is the Source of all wisdom.

In 1 Corinthians 1:30 we read, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Man, in his natural state, does not have supernatural wisdom. He may have natural logic, but logic and natural wisdom err in that they always put the individual first. Supernatural wisdom comes only from God through Jesus Christ, who “became for us wisdom from God.” Only those plugged into God can receive supernatural wisdom.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 warns us, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the LORD.” In other words, let’s not boast in our own cleverness, intelligence and knowledge (1 Cor. 3:19-20). How do we receive wisdom from God? Proverbs 2 is one of those great “ifthen” passages in the Bible—if you meet certain prerequisites, then God will respond. It outlines three conditions to receiving wisdom from God:

1. If you receive God’s Word and treasure His commands within you (2:1). How should we receive God’s Word into our hearts? James 1:21 tells us, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overfl ow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” To receive His Word, you must first decide to live your life in purity and holiness.
2. Secondly, you must carry an attitude of meekness—which is humility and openness toward God.
3. If you cry out for wisdom (2:3). You must boldly ask and cry out to God for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
4. If you seek wisdom as silver (2:4). God is wisdom. If you seek after Him, you will fi nd wisdom. God says in Jeremiah 29:11-14, “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. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and fi nd Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD.”

Let us be like the psalmist who yearned, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps. 42:1-2).

Bless The Lord

Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Psalm 145:2

Praising God must be our daily habit. No matter how busy or how sorrowful a day has been, not a day should pass without us praising God. We ought to reckon it the most needful part of our daily life, and the most delightful of our daily enjoyment. Every day, God is blessing us and working on our behalf; therefore there is no reason why we should not bless the Lord and speak well of Him daily.

Notice, the psalmist makes a decision—a commitment—that he will himself be praising God. Praising God is not a work for someone else to do. To this good work, the psalmist excites himself and engages his whole heart in it. Not only does he bless God every day, he expresses his resolution to persevere in it forever. He says, “I will praise Your name forever and ever.”

How does David express his praise to God? From Psalm 145, he says …

1. “I will praise Your name forever” (145:2). He will speak well of God, and declare His name from generation to generation. The name of God reveals who God is. David expressed his praise to God according to how God had revealed Himself to him.
2. “I will declare Your greatness” (145:6). David meditated on the greatness of God: His infinite power, His infi nite glory and His dominion over the whole universe. God’s greatness indeed cannot be comprehended, for it is unsearchable; who can conceive or express how great God is? And because God is exceedingly great, David declares exuberantly, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised” (145:3).
3. “They shall utter the memory of your great goodness” (145:7). God’s goodness is His glory (Ex. 33:19). It is what God glories in (34:6-7), and it is what we must give Him the glory for. God’s goodness is great goodness, the treasures of it can never be exhausted, nor can they ever be lessened. God is not just a doer of good, He is good. God’s goodness is who He is. Psalm 106:1 declares, “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

David praises God at the memory of His goodness. God’s goodness is something we ought to remember and, more than that, utter or speak about often. In doing so, we build up our own faith and the faith of the people around us.

Be Prepared

2 Timothy 4:2 ……. Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season…..

There is only one way to prepare ourselves to be ready ‘in season and out of season’ and that is to build a lifestyle that is centred on Jesus; a lifestyle that is Christocentric.

How do we do that? We need to practice His presence. From the mundane to the sublime Jesus is our constant companion. He told us that He will never leave us.

Once the revelation of this truly dawns upon us we will begin to practice His presence; talking with Him and Him talking with us, loving Him and receiving His love, simply being with Him as our best friend who, at the same time, is our saviour and the king of the whole universe. He is God. Wow! This is the privilege and the lifestyle of a Christian, a disciple of Jesus.

To help us to know Him better we want to read the bible, the word of God, which is all about Jesus, the Word of God made flesh. However, we do not read it to know Him only in our head, we read the bible to know Jesus in our heart. God the Holy Spirit helps us to do that.

The Holy Spirit inspired men to write the bible. That means He is the author. As Christians, born again and baptised in the Holy Spirit, the author brings the bible alive in our human spirit and, by revelation, we come to truly know Jesus.

By nurturing this relationship we come to know Him intimately. He is the lover of our soul and when we talk about Him to others they sense this amazing love. When we share our hearts with others they catch a glimpse of what they could also have if they become Christians.

Thank you Jesus, you poured out your love for everyone. Amen.

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYuAmEXaUh4

A Hearing Heart

Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Proverbs 1:23

We have this scriptural promise that God will surely pour out His Spirit on His people. Jesus also confi rmed this fact: “‘He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:38-39). There is no doubt that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit freely and abundantly to those who ask of Him (Luke 11:13). God’s desire is that all will receive this empowerment from on high (Acts 2:17). It is the Holy Spirit who gives and reveals God’s words to us. “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” (John 16:13-14). In fact the only way for us to know the mind of God and to understand the “deep things of God” is through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:9-16). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Eph. 1:17). The Holy Spirit is the Chief Revelator, Interpreter and Teacher of the whole counsel of God’s Word.

However, there is a prerequisite in receiving the outpouring of God’s Spirit. That’s the ability to “turn at my rebuke.” It is the ability to hear and discern the voice of God and to respond in obedience. King Solomon, the writer of the book of Proverbs, had an encounter with the Lord in 1 Kings 3 that changed his life. He had a dream from God. In it, the Lord asked Solomon what He could give him. Instead of asking for long life, riches or the life of his enemies, Solomon asked for an “understanding heart” (Prov. 3:9). The word “understanding” (Heb. shama) means to hear intelligently; to discern and to be obedient. King Solomon had the ability to hear and discern the voice of God. Because of that, he was able to make many wise judgments and God prospered him.

The Bible says he was “wiser than all men” and his wisdom included not only godly wisdom, but also wisdom in secular knowledge and science. His fame spread throughout the surrounding nations. He spoke 3,000 proverbs, and wrote 1,005 songs (1 Kin. 4:31-32). He spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. Men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who heard of his wisdom, traveled long distances to hear the wisdom of Solomon. It was also through divine revelation and excellent wisdom that Daniel and his three Hebrew friends spread the fame of God throughout the entire Babylonian empire.

God wants to pour out His Spirit on us and to empower us to succeed. Through the Holy Spirit and the wisdom He gives, we can infl uence our generation and bring them on bended knees before Jesus. So let’s pray to God right now for an understanding heart—one that hears, discerns and obeys Him!

Why Should You Go To Church

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility...” Ephesians 2:14

Why should you go to church, if there is one near you, or gather with other Christians? Here are 7 reasons for you to consider.

1. God wants you to connect with other Christians.
2. You can learn from godly teaching and become a stronger Christian.
3. You can worship God and bring Him honor and glory as you worship Him in the congregation.
4. You can learn how to study the Bible from others
5. You can get to know other Christians who can affirm you and help you.
6. You can give to God, both financially and in serving others within the church.
7. Your family can grow as Christians.

Will your church be perfect? Of course not; because the church is made up of people, and all of us are not perfect. However, we are forgiven in Jesus Christ; we can be filled with God’s Holy Spirit; and, even though we are not perfect, the Bible says we as the church will be the bride of Christ. So if Jesus Christ loves us in spite of our imperfections, let us all love God and love others as we seek to serve Christ together.

So, this week, let us pray that

• God will spread His peace and joy and love through you in Jesus Christ to the world around you
• God will help you to be a blessing to Him and to others at church and everywhere
• God will protect our staff at Global Media Outreach and fill us with His Holy Spirit

THANK YOU for your prayers. Someday we can meet in heaven and rejoice in all that Jesus Christ has done in your life and in ours. In the meantime let us pray together that God’s kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven.

May God bless you,

Looking Unto Jesus

But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; in You I take refuge; do not leave my soul destitute. Psalm 141:8

It is always the Holy Spirit’s work that turns our eyes away from our self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us pay attention to ourselves instead of Christ. The Devil insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough. You will never be able to continue to the end. You are weak. You are a failure.” All these are thoughts about self, and we will never find comfort or assurance by looking within.

But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self to Christ. He tells us that “Christ is all and in all” (Col. 3:11), and “in all things Christ may have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). Remember, therefore, that it is not your hold on Christ that saves you, but Christ Himself. It is not even your faith in Christ, though that is the instrument, but it is Christ’s blood and His grace that saves you. Therefore, do not look to your hand with which you are grasping Christ, more than to Christ Himself.

Do not look at the outward enemies in fear, but to the One who is in you, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Do not look at the pains of trials and tribulations, but to Christ who also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps (1 Pet. 2:21). Do not look to your hope, but to Jesus, the Source of your hope (Col. 1:27). Do not look to your faith, but “[look] unto Jesus, the author and fi nisher of your faith” (Heb.12:2).

We will never fi nd happiness by looking at our prayers, our actions, or our feelings. It is what Jesus has done, not what we are, that gives us confi dence. If we want to overcome Satan, it must be by “looking unto Jesus.” That is why David says, “My eyes are upon You, O God, in You I take refuge.” Let Jesus’ death, His sufferings, His goodness, His grace—literally His Person—be on your mind. When you wake in the morning, look to Him. When you lie down at night, look to Him. Do not let your fears come between you and Jesus. Follow hard after Him, and He will never fail you.

• I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
• From whence comes my help?
• My help comes from the LORD,
• Who made heaven and earth. (Ps. 121:1-2)

Hidden Hurts

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

People who have been abused or have gone through traumatic experiences have sought to survive and cope with life behind a myriad of defense mechanisms. Some have been ritualistically abused to such an extent that they have no conscious memory of their experiences. Others constantly avoid anything that would stimulate those memories. Unable to process those experiences from the past, they live in denial. Others rationalize or try to suppress the pain with food, drugs or sex.

However, this is not God’s solution for their lives. The psalmist prays to God to search his heart and bring everything to light. God does search and test our hearts. “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer. 17:10). Knowing this, you can always count on God to bring your past conflicts, however suppressed, to the surface at the right time so that everything can be brought into the light to be dealt with.

The first step in God’s answer for repressed trauma is shown here in Psalm 139:23-24. God knows about the hidden hurts within you which you may not be able to see. When you ask God to search your heart, He will expose the dark areas of your past and bring them to light. Not only is God the Healer of our hearts, He is also constantly near to those who are brokenhearted; to restore and lead them back to the path of wholeness. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (147:3). “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (34:18).

Jesus is the light of the world, he who follows Him shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12). As you embrace the truth of God’s Word in your heart today, let His light shine deep into the innermost parts of your life. As you meditate upon His love for you, allow the Holy Spirit to be your Counselor, Comforter and Healer. He wants to restore you completely and lead you back onto the path that leads to His eternal and abundant life.

Thanksgiving and Praise

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:1

Has the Lord been good and gracious to you? The psalmist states as a matter of fact that our God is good and therefore worthy to be praised. Praise, like prayer, is one great means of promoting the growth of our spiritual life. It helps to lift our burdens, raise our hopes and increase our faith. It is an invigorating spiritual exercise that quickens the believer and strengthens him to serve God more joyfully. Has God answered your prayers? Has He blessed you more than you expected? Well, don’t stop praising God! Especially when He has answered your prayers and given you the desires of your heart. Don’t be silent when you experience God’s goodness and His mercy.

There were nine lepers, who, after they had been cured of their leprosy, did not return to give thanks to Jesus. The 10th leper who came back to give thanks was the only one who went away totally made well—spirit, soul and body (Luke 17:11-19). To forget to praise God is to deny God’s benefits for your life.

As we give thanks and praise the Lord, others will benefit and be encouraged:

1. “The humble shall hear of it and be glad” (Ps. 34:2). Others who have been in similar circumstances will take comfort if we magnify the LORD and exalt His name together (34:3).
2. Weak hearts will be strengthened, and downcast saints will be revived as they listen to our “songs of deliverance” (32:7). Their doubts and fears will be rebuked, as we teach and admonish “one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16).
3. They too will “sing of the ways of the LORD” (Ps. 138:5) when they hear us magnify His holy name. Praise should be so important to us. The angels do not pray, but they do not cease to praise both day and night; and the redeemed, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, are never weary of singing the new song, “Worthy is the Lamb” (Rev. 5:12). Therefore make a decision today to praise and give thanks no matter what happens in your life. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

One In Christ

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

The Church is a fellowship. A top priority in a fellowship is unity and harmony. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3, NIV). Therefore any attitude that causes disunity among us is sin. The Bible has many verses instructing us on the need for unity:

1. Don’t allow contention and strife among us (Prov. 17:14).
2. A new commandment to love one another (John 13:34).
3. Be knitted together in love (Col. 2:2).
4. Avoid foolish comments that confuse other people (2 Tim. 2:23).

But how can believers of different personalities, backgrounds and cultures come together in unity? The unity that we can truly have is unity which can be found in Christ. Jesus unites brethren everywhere by His work on the cross. We are united because of our salvation in Christ. We are all saved by grace through faith in Jesus’ work on the cross (Gal. 3:24-29). Jesus offers the opportunity for believers everywhere to draw near to Him and eat with Him (John 21:12). We are invited to a holy intimacy and union with Jesus. And the “food” that we partake together when we come to the Lord’s table is Jesus Himself. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (6:35). “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (6:56). So the Lord calls us to the same table, the Lord’s table, and we partake of the same bread—the Bread of Life.

Christians may differ on a variety of points, but we all have one spiritual appetite. If we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the Bread of Life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus, we share one bread and one cup. As the cup goes around, we share in the same grace of God and we pledge our love and unity to one another heartily.

Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who are like yourself, supported by the same heavenly manna. If we were closer to Jesus, we would be closer to one another. And Psalm 133:2-3 continues, “It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forevermore.” It is at the table of the Lord when we have drawn near to Him, that the anointing—our source of strength—flows into our lives. And there God commands His blessing upon us. Have you labored under much unnecessary weakness because you have neglected coming before the Lord? Grace and strength comes from nearness to Jesus, union with Jesus and love for His people.

Fruit Bearing Believer

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

The Bible likens the life of a believer to a field and the construction of a building. “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:9-11). Jesus is the foundation of that building. It is not religious ceremonies, church membership, ministry positions or some special connection with people that will cause our lives to be strong and tall. The only way for our lives to be built up is staying connected to the foundation—Jesus Christ.

Likewise, as a field, we are to bear fruit. How are we going to keep bearing fruit? The only way is to abide in the life of Jesus. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). Have you declined in your fruit-bearing? If you have, come back to your fi rst love with Jesus. Engage in those experiences that have proven to draw you nearest to Christ, because it is from Him that all your fruit proceeds. When have you been the most fruitless? Has it not been when you have lived farthest from the Lord Jesus Christ, when you have slackened in prayer, or when you have departed from the simplicity of your faith? Has it not been when you trusted in your own achievements and strength instead of the Lord?

How do we abide in the Lord?

1. Abide in Jesus’ words (John 15:7). We have to learn to hear and obey His words. Walk into every situation with Jesus and allow Him to speak to you during those times.
2. Abide in the anointing of the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27). The anointing of the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. There is nothing too diffi cult for God. We can depend on Him for wisdom and solutions in our daily affairs.
3. Abide in love (4:16). Love one another. Put away all bitterness and unforgiveness. Let everything we do be done out of love for God and for His people.

Have you forgotten where your strength comes from? Remember that unless the Lord builds the house, we who labor, will do so in vain. Even Jesus Himself proclaimed in John 5:19, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” The more simply we depend on the grace of God and wait on the Holy Spirit, the more we will bring forth fruit unto God.

Wait On The Lord

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. Psalm 130:5

It may seem to be an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures that a Christian soldier does not learn without years of molding and discipline. Marching is much easier for God’s warriors than standing still. So often, instead of standing firm on God’s Word, we retreat in fear, turning to the right in rebellion or rushing forward in presumption. God’s end-time army must have the ability and tenacity to wait in prayer, to stand firm on His promises and hope in His deliverance!

Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father. When Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, was surrounded by enemies all around, the Lord told him to wait for His deliverance, “For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chr. 20:15). Sometimes, the highest demonstration of our faith is to wait on the Lord and to stand firm on what He has promised. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Jesus had to wait upon the Father and entrust His entire life to Him as He hung there on the cross. With His hands outstretched and His legs nailed to the cross, He held on firmly to the Father’s promise of His resurrection from the dead. He gloriously proclaimed on the cross,”It is finished!” … knowing very well that the salvation work would not be complete without His resurrection from the dead. On that fi rst Easter Sunday morning, He rose from the dead and the power of death was broken! Hallelujah!

Hold on to your unwavering confidence in God. Believe that if He keeps you tarrying even until midnight, He will come at the right time. “Though the vision tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Hab. 2:3). Wait in quiet patience, and don’t complain when you are under affl iction. Instead, adopt the right attitude by blessing the Lord at all times. Never murmur as the children of Israel did against Moses. Never wish you could go back to the world again, but accept the situation and commit yourself into the hands of a faithful God. Say, “Lord, not my will but Yours be done. I do not know what to do. I will wait, even if You keep me waiting for many days, because my heart is fixed on You alone, O God. My spirit waits for You in the full consolation that You will be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower.”