====Day 1
Living Beyond Average
1 Timothy 3:13
"Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus."
Have you ever considered being called average a compliment? I hope not because that means you’re just as close to the bottom as you are to the top. And God never intended for you to be an average. In our society, excellence has become a goal to obtain, a test score to achieve, a set of rules to follow or a value to have. But is there a standard for excellence? God has told us what excellence is—and His standard of measurement is far different from ours.
God desires quality work produced by the application of His Word (The Bible) through our faith, our messages, our knowledge of God, our eagerness to let Him known and our love for others. Paul modeled excellence in everything he did, from tent making to church planting to writing. He was intentional and focused on serving Christ to the best of his abilities. Nothing less than the best would do, so he pressed toward the mark with all his might. We must model excellence. We must fully apply our knowledge and skills to the tasks put before us. King David shows us how can this be done “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” (Psalm 78:72) In that way, we will bring glory to God and increase our influence, credibility, and reputation among those with whom we work with. Excellent work is the bridge of credibility for evangelism. Excellent work is an act of worship.
Things to Ponder
1. Keeping this reading in mind, why is it important that our words/actions bring glory to Christ?
2. How does our work done in excellence bring glory to Christ, what does it mean to you?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
1 Chronicles 29:11-12
11” Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.”
Matthew 6:24
24 “No one can serve two masters.
Either you will hate the one and love the other,
or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
====Day 2
Pursuit for Excellence
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
“And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound (excel) in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you, 13 so that your hearts are strengthened in holiness to be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”
From this verse, it is clear that God wants us to abound or excel in both our inward character and in our external behavior via good deeds. There is simply no way we can love God with all our heart without seeking to excel in love for others for the glory of God. Our pursuit for excellence must be both a goal and a mark of spiritual maturity. However, for this to be true, the pursuit of excellence must be motivated by the right values, priorities, and motives.
Joseph modeled excellence. Whether in prison or managing Potiphar's household, he fully applied excellence to not only to himself but also by using the talents and gifts given him by God. Because his motive was to worship God by pleasing Him, he was honest and upright in his words and deeds. Also God models excellence. How marvelous that we serve a God of integrity, whose promises hold true every time they're applied. And because God is who He is, we who call ourselves Christ-followers must be diligent to imitate His qualities. If our commitments, character, and work do not reflect an excellent and reliable God, how will others believe in the God who is the standard for excellence?
Things to Ponder
1. Consider this line “When we do something excellent, it will reveal a character of God alive within us” In what way?
2. What is one thing in my daily lives that I could improve/change to better reflect God’s excellent character?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
2 Corinthians 8:12
“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,
not according to what he does not have”.
Proverbs 18:16
"A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great."
====Day 3
Work with All your Heart
Colossians 3:23-24 ESV
3“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
To be real, we know that there are times that our jobs or work can be frustrating. We don’t feel appreciated, and maybe not paid enough, and there are times that you think that you are working harder than others but still not making much. We may also felt stuck in the routine of our daily assignment without the chance of being promoted. Sad to say this can also be true in our ministry of serving God, you may feel as though you are not making much of a difference in the world as though you could be doing much more for the Lord. These are all feelings we have probably felt one time or another; or might even still be wrestling with.
Remember today that, no matter what you do for a living, you are working for the Lord! You don’t have to be a missionary or a staff member at a church. Our reward may not be a promotion or pay increase, but an inheritance with the saints in Heaven (Colossians 1:12). And this reward can never be taken away. When you just want to quit or stop doing your job, remember today’s verses, you are serving the Lord.
Borrowed with permission from ShortDailyDevotions.com
Things to Ponder
1. When was the time that I consider quitting doing my service to God because I felt nobody appreciated my effort?
2. What is that one thing that I want to change in my attitude towards my present work and my service to God so that I can excel more as I do my best?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Colossians 1:16-17
16” For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
2 Corinthians 8:7 NLT
7”Since you EXCEL in so many ways
—in your FAITH…
"...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 17:20
====Day 4
Is Your Faith Worth an Action
Philippians 1:27
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel”
In today’s culture, many people have the opinion that we should live by our own standards, unmindful to the Word of God. Some want the blessings of the promises of God, without subjecting themselves to obedience to God. However, to be truly happy and fulfilled, we must examine ourselves in the light of God’s Word and live by it. The Bible says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). The stress and tensions of life become more unbearable when we live in selfish disobedience to the Word of God. Yet simple submission and obedience to God’s Word relieve the stress that disobedience and today’s culture imposes.
The Bible said that “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Doubt is crippling, but faith is empowering; so act on it, faith in action brings victory! God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in your own life. Read His word, hear the word, and rejoice with His word, put it action so that you can see and experience it worth. “But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do”
(Psalms 1:2).
Things to Ponder
1. Are you regularly reading your Bible and reflecting on how you will put it in action?
2. What is one thing that I put to action from the word of God that I heard this week?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Deuteronomy 15:10
“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”
====Day 5
The Challenge of Faith
1 Kings 18:21-22
21 “And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.”
God demonstrates His power in a contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal.
Baal worship attracted many other Israelites. They found it easier to worship an idol they could see than God whom they could not. It is always easier to mold god, or religion, to our idea of what he should be than to change ourselves to follow God’s standard. We should take note that Elijah did not by himself try to convert the people to belief in Israel's God. He did bring them to a point where they were ready to decide. He told them to choose by themselves. Elijah was a man of great faith.
So can you. The Lord may not do every miraculous thing you ask of Him, but He does some extraordinary work in and through each person lives who are obedient and willing to trust in Him.
As Christians, we are to believe God, not only for salvation but for everything in our lives.
Rather than a spiritual plateau, faith is actually a process that involves increasing degrees of trust throughout life. Weak faith hopes that God will do what He says, but strong faith knows He is faithful to accomplish all He says He will do. Start by reading God’s Word to learn what He wants you to do. Each day’s situations and needs are opportunities to trust Him. Ask the Lord to bring to mind verses that apply to your circumstances. Trust Him and do what He says—your faith muscles will grow, and He will be glorified.
Things to Ponder
1. What are some modern examples of gods or idols that we have created in our own image that hinder us from totally believing in God's power?
2. What are some ways we may be tempted to try to follow the Lord and the ways of the world at the same time?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
2 Chronicles 31:5, 12
“The people responded immediately and generously with the first of their crops and grain, new wine, olive oil, money, and everything else -- a tithe of all they owned. They faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts.”
====Day 6
Joy is an outward sign of inward faith in God’s promises
Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
From the a New York Times bestselling book “The 4:8 Principle”, by Tommy Newberry, The apostle Paul challenges us to seek out and to live on the positives in our lives. He said; “think about such things” The power of your thoughts has tremendous ability to shape your life for good or for bad. For example, maybe you accept the thought someone told you when you were growing up, “You’re worthless. You don’t matter.” If you accepted that thought, even though it was wrong, it shaped your life. This may be difficult for us to do when the world that we live in takes great joy in opening up old wounds and focusing on the ways others have hurt us and wounded us. Our way of thinking becomes increasingly negative and we begin to focus on things other than the purposes of God.
Being joy filled does not mean that your life is perfect or that your life is great. It means that you insistently trust God and believe that he has great plans for your life, regardless of what is happening right now. Joy is the infectious and uncontainable fruit of divinely inspired growth. It’s a deeply rooted, unshakable belief, trusting the nature and character of God. Joy is an outward sign of inward faith in the promises of God. Do we want to renew your mind or do you want to continue the way of thinking that you have become accustomed to throughout your life? When our minds are renewed, circumstances take care of themselves. if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Things to Ponder
1. What do you think about when you go to sleep at night? (If anxiety or guilt rob you of sleep, introduce the peace found in a relationship with Christ)
2. Read again our scriptural text try to meditate on it.
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Proverbs 6:6-8
“6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers
its food at harvest.
2 Corinthians 8:7 NLT
7”Since you EXCEL in so many ways—in your FAITH, in SPEECH…
36”But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for
every careless word they have spoken.”
Matthew 12:36
************
DECEMBER 4 2016 SUNDAY
is HIS LIFE MINISTRIES THANKSGIVING and COMMITMENT DAY.
“We have freedom of speech, but you got to watch what you say.”
Tracy Morgan
Let’s TOGETHER put on a new garment, filled with thanksgiving, praise and hope.
Let’s renounce all forms of toxic negativity that seek to kill our hope and our ability to walk in believing faith.
As we get ready to GIVE THANKS to God, lets also put away all unworthiness, all unloving spirits, rejection and other demonic strongholds that keep us from walking with a greater revelation of our identity and destiny in Christ.
In the place of negativity, we make a decision to feast only on the hope filled nature of God in all things.
• we will set aside time to focus solely on the love, truth, promises and the goodness of God.
• we will dismantle all negative relationship patterns that keep us bound in ways that are toxic
• we will choose not to deny problems, but to Iive from a place in God that is superior to those problems
• we will declare WITHIN THE NEXT DAYS: that we shall grow in thinking and speaking hope which involves focusing on God’s goodness, what God is doing, His love, truth, the promises of God, the praises of God, encouragement to others, thanksgiving and intimate worship.
We determine to:
• focus more on God’s promises than on problems.
• speak with hope about even the toughest of issues.
• be solution focused rather than problem focused.
• refrain from reacting and giving voice to pessimism, criticism of others, self-criticism and other forms of unbelief.
• remove gossip, slander and judgmentalism away from our conversations regarding others.
• speak about problems to the right people in the right way.
• cultivate thoughts, words and actions that increase hope and fruitfulness in the days to come.
====Day 7
Your words your Life
Matthew 12:35-35
35 “The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Our daily speech and actions reveal what is really inside our heart. It is often when we are angry that we let out our guard down and reveal what we actually think about others. We can say nice things in public when others are watching us. But when we speak without thinking, or when restraints are down, we reveal what is really inside of us, what we really are. Maybe one time you have heard someone say, “You are going to eat those words.” It may sound like a mere phrase to us, but in reality we do eat our words. What we say not only affects others, but it also affects us.
A person will produce good or bad fruit depending on what is sown in the heart. Charles Read said: "Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny." Character, like fruit, doesn't grow overnight. It takes a lifetime. Plan to say something positive for God has given His children a new nature, and we are taught to daily renew our mind and attitude. Having a positive outlook on life and speaking positive words based on God’s Word is one of the most wholesome things we can do. Develop a heart of appreciation; always look at the positive side of a person and of yourself.
Things to Ponder
1. What should you begin to declare over your life, your family, your job, etc?
2. What words have been spoken over you that may have "stuck"? (Good or bad.)
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Deuteronomy 8:17-18
“You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”
====Day 8
It will be done just Ask
1 John 5:14-15 NIV
14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
As we continue our thanksgiving journey today we are encourage to speak the word of faith, to verbalize what we are seeking from God. As a believer, who understands the power of the spoken word of faith, the Bible said that "it will be done for them." The key to answering our prayer is, believing in our heart the promises of God and saying it with our mouth in faith. The natural law of life tells us that what we give, we get; what we sow, we will also reap; and what we send out, comes back. And every choice words we come back to us with its responsibilities and accountabilities.
Remember believing God and His Word is of great importance, but our Lord Jesus encourages us further to say it in faith, 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” (Mark 11:22-23 NIV). There is great power in the spoken word of faith. We can’t just say any and everything that comes to mind and expect God to grant it. Our asking must be "according to His will". And His will is found in His word, the Bible.
Things to Ponder
1. What word or promise has God spoken over you?
2. Take some time and intentionally count what God has blessed you with and give and thank Him aloud.
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Deuteronomy 8:11-14
“Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God… Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God.”
====Day 9
The power in your words
Proverbs 18:21
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit"
According to our text, the tongue has a power. Notice it says here, "the power of the tongue". It is the power of the words it produces. So we can see that the Word of God is saying that our speech is tremendously important, powerful and significant, so much so that our words are a matter of life and death. When you get up in the morning, if there is something you need to attend to that day that you’re not looking forward to, you can say, “Oh no another boring day but I have to”, or you can say, “God thank you for today and I know that You will give me strength to do whatever I need to do and to do it with joy.”
Which of these two statements do you think would better prepare you for the day, life or death? Anyone who wants to be healthy is careful to choose the quality food that will provide him good nutrition. If we want to be healthy in our soul and spirit, we should also choose to take in words that will build us up and increase our peace and joy. This power is ours to use or to misuse. We have to learn to take control over the words we use. Take control of your words and you will learn to speak life into all situations. Plan to say something positive today.
Things to Ponder
1. When was the last time you say positive faith words to your family, co-worker and to your situation?
2. Take some time to write down the things that God’ has blessed you with and give and thank Him aloud.
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Jeremiah 9:23-24
“The Lord says, “Let not the…rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me.”
2 Corinthians 8:7 NLT
7”Since you EXCEL in so many ways—in your FAITH, in SPEECH…
in KNOWLEDGE…
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well."
Psalm 139:14
DECEMBER 4 2016 SUNDAY
is HIS LIFE MINISTRIES THANKSGIVING and COMMITMENT DAY.
"To me it's always the Word, the whole Word, nothing but the Word. We all need a daily dose of God's positive Word. As we do, we will excel in knowledge."
Peter Wade
====Day 10
Revisiting the Parable of the Sower
Mark 4:13
“13 Then Jesus said to them,
“Don’t you understand this parable?
How then will you understand any parable?”
The Lord Jesus often told stories when he is teaching the people around Him, and these stories are better known as "parables" It is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospel. This parable can teach us about ourselves, and how we relate to others if we want to grow in His knowledge. The summary of this parable:
Some seed falls on the paths, and the birds quickly eat it. Some seed falls where there are rocks, and not much soil. Plants grow quickly, but soon the sun dries them. There is not enough soil, and the plants die. Some seed begins to grow in a place where there are too many weeds. The weeds stop the growth of the plants, and the plants die, but other seed falls on good ground. So, the plants grow well. The farmer has a harvest from these plants. The challenge to ‘listen’ or ‘hear’ begins and ends the parable
The interpretation stresses that all of the soils have heard the word, but only few retained the knowledge of it. The sower has been successful in getting the seed sown; what happens next depends on the soil. The interpretation raises the question of whether the listener is going to produce any harvest. As long as you are focused on what you want, what you need, you will never experience God’s best. By the end of the day you will notice that there are only two kind of soil. The one that reproduce or fruitful and the other that did not bear fruits.
Things to Ponder
1. When was the first time you heard the gospel and how did you respond then?
2. The Bible says that we have to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What are your steps in doing it?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
2 Chronicles 1:11-12
“Since you [Solomon] have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I [the LORD] will also give you wealth, riches and honor.”
====Day 11
Growing in Knowledge of Christ
2 Peter 3:18
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
The two goes together . . . you cannot grow in grace unless you grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Growing in grace is an automatic byproduct of the knowledge of our Lord!
What is grace? It is being found acceptable, to be favored, and to have a divine influence on your heart. Of course we all want to grow in grace – to grow in favor with God, to be found acceptable, and to have Him influence all areas of our lives. What is the "knowledge" knowledge is more than just acknowledgement. Rather, it is a familiarity with God's character, trying to become familiar with Him and His personality, to understand Him – who He is, what He does, what He purposes, and what He commands.
How can you grow in the knowledge of our Lord? He has given all we can possibly need to know in the written Word. “The Bible” Every relevant, important piece of information we need to know about Him and our relationship with Him is contained in the Word of God. Begin to grow in the knowledge of Him who gives grace to all who seek Him. Don't wait for tomorrow to begin . . . start now. Don't depend on someone else's study of the Word to help you grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him, open your Bible and let the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ grow in you. Grow in knowledge and grace!
(Borrowed from Author Jan Ross)
Things to Ponder
1. Someone has defined “grace” as “God’s undeserved love in Jesus.” Tell about a time when God’s grace meant a great deal to you.
2. How does “growing in grace” connect with “growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus”? In other words, how are the two related?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
2 Chronicles 31:5, 12
“The people responded immediately and generously with the first of their crops and grain, new wine, olive oil, money, and everything else...a tithe of all they owned. They faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes
and dedicated gifts.”
====Day 12
Wise people seek God’s Knowledge
Proverbs 15:14 NASB
14”The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.”
Sometime because of the massive doses of Bible teaching we have heard not only during Sundays but also in a regular basis, we began to imagine that we needed less private prayer and Bible intake than when we were younger in our faith. Besides, we have so many other God-given responsibilities that surely God would understand that we were too busy to meet with Him every day. One small compromise led to another; one reasonable justification led to the next, until the devastating day when a tipping point was reached and the spiritual weakness developed like a spiritual sinkhole.
Looking back several years ago, we may have had a relatively consistent devotional life through which the Lord often refreshed, strengthened, and matured us, but with each passing year, our busy life became ever busier. Increasingly we saw our devotional life more as a burden—a mere obligation sometimes—than a blessing. If this is happening to you right now ask God to restore the joy of your salvation. (Psalm 51:12) “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Things to Ponder
1. Can you still remember the time or the moment when you accepted the Lord Jesus into your heart how happy and passionate you are to know Him more? How is your today?
2. Are you growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Luke 16:11-13 (Jesus said)
“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?…No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
2 Corinthians 8:7 NLT
7”Since you EXCEL in so many ways—in your FAITH, in SPEECH…
in KNOWLEDGE…in COMPLETE EARNESTNESS…
"Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14
DECEMBER 4 2016 SUNDAY
is HIS LIFE MINISTRIES THANKSGIVING and COMMITMENT DAY.
"To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money,
and that is sincerity and integrity.”
Writer Douglas Adams
====Day 13
Seek and you will Find
Jeremiah 29:13
"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
Seeking is not a simple act; it is a process, a series of actions. The Lord Jesus says that; there are areas of life that require more than asking; there must be seeking, searching. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened“(Luke 11:9-10). If you sincerely look deeper in your heart and your situations today there must be something that you are longing for, something that will give you great satisfaction and may and I suggest one thing “continual consciousness of the Father’s utmost greatness and beauty”
But you may ask, isn’t God omnipresent and therefore always near to everyone, and His power is ever-present in sustaining us. If “Yes” why do we need to seek Him since He is already in our heart? If this is so the Bible will no longer remind us repeatedly to “seek the Lord . . . seek his presence continually.” There are times that we become neglectful of God and give Him no thought and there are even times in our situations that we do not put our whole trust in Him. But praise that Lord that He promise us that He will be with us to the end of the age, but to have a continual experience of His joy and the fire of His intimacy, we must repeatedly seek Him with all of our heart. Seek, and you will find!
Things to Ponder
1. Have you ever experience your Christian walk as dull or as a routine as if you are missing something?
2. What step that you have to make to restore the joy of your fellowship with God?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Job 27:19-20
“(The wicked) goes to bed rich but wakes up to find that all his wealth is gone.
Terror overwhelms him, and he is blown away in the storms of the night.”
Jeremiah 17:11
“Like a bird that fills her nest with young she has not hatched and which will soon desert her and fly away, so is the man who gets his wealth by unjust means. Sooner or later he will lose his riches and at the end of his life become a poor old fool.”
====Day 14
Draw near to God with a sincere heart
Hebrews 10:22
"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith."
As each day a new day, for sure we will face new challenges, new encounters and though we thought that it will be just another usual routine day, we need a refresh, renewed, passionate dedication to the Lord. Even the strongest of Christians can be drawn away by the pressures of daily living. Drawing near to with a sincere heart and faith is picture of a true worshiper.
A true worshippers knows how to come into the presence of God with their entire being, prepared to give thanks and praise to the one they give the highest worth. We don't just come and do our regular routines and seat after singing a few songs. We know that the anointing come from a sincere pursuit of God with all of our entire being.
The Lord Jesus gave us the most important reason why He created us in Mark 12:30 and that is to; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” If you are sincere about something or someone, you know that you are excited just to be close to it or to someone; this is how you will draw near to God in full assurance of faith.
Things to Ponder
1. What do you do to maintain your closeness to God? How do you keep your heart on fire?
2. Are we missing the point with our passionate worship?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Deuteronomy 16:16
“No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed.”
2 Corinthians 8:2-4
“Though (the Macedonian Christians) have been going through much trouble and hard times, they have mixed their wonderful joy with their deep poverty, and the result has been an overflow of giving to others. They gave not only what they could afford but far more; and I can testify that they did it because they wanted to…They begged us to take the money so they could share in the joy of helping the Christians in Jerusalem.”
====Day 15
Sincerity and Obedience
Joshua 1:8
“8 Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed”
God is willing and able to provide for our needs according to His glorious richness (Ephesians 2:20). But many times in our moment of weakness or forgetfulness, we allowed our circumstances to dictates our decisions and even the content of our prayer, and if we are honest enough to admit even to ourselves that we only come to God as our last remedy or recourse, right? We must realize that, in whatever situation we are in, it will not change God. Whether you obey Him or not, God is God and He will not change. So you must be the one who need to change in order to be prosperous and successful.
We want to be prosperous and successful, but sad to say we don’t want to pay the prize of obedience. We even quotes Biblical promises that has a word “successful, prosper, prosperity and claimed these verses as a promised from God. But remember, it is not how much we know the Bible but much of the Bible we know we apply. Faith is – sincere trusting and responding to what you believed. FAITH is not something you SAY, but it is something you SAY and DO. (James 2:14-18) We have to understand that faith is neither a blind-lift conviction nor a plain word to pronounce, it must be accompanied by the evidence that we do.
Things to Ponder
1. Have you ever wondered what God's will is for your life?
2. Have you ever needed to make a difficult decision and wondered what God wanted you to do in that situation?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
2 Corinthians 8:12
"For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have."
2 Corinthians 8:3
"They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability."
====Day 16
Best example of Serving Others
John 13: 14
“If I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
Our Lord Jesus gave us the best example of the meaning “serving one another”. The Lord Jesus shows that being both Lord and Teacher He is gentle and humble to what a servant usually does, wash his master’s feet. The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you’ve arrived. In our “me-first” culture, acting like a servant is not a popular concept. Jesus, however, measured greatness in terms of service, not status. God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you. The Lord Jesus entered the upper room to find it full of proud hearts and dirty feet. Not one of the disciples was willing to volunteer for the lowest task of washing dirty feet. They all instead fought for who was the greatest among them.
The Lord Jesus quietly demonstrated to them the meaning of a leader (sees himself as one who serves, one who gives, one with a good attitude, and one who models The Lord Jesus Christ himself). Being humble is not a sign of weakness, the Lord Jesus wanted to give us an example of what obedient servant means to reach out to help and restore, has the quality of Christ- likeness, and being unselfish. Did we ever wonder what life would be like if everyone gave love and peace a chance to grow and multiply? We would all meet the needs of each other and have compassion for one another. God want us to know that Service to others can happen in unlikely places and situations. No religious or political boundaries matter for everyone can start where they are. God expects more from his people than random acts of kindness or loose change from our wallet. He expects sacrificial giving from us.
Things to Ponder
1. How are you personally involved in touching the lives of other via Life Group, house church or in personal way?
2. Write down and share to your Life Group how you are serving in your home, workplace, and church.
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Proverbs 11:24-25 TLB
"It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8, 10-11
"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother….Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."
====Day 17
Authentic Christianity
2 Corinthians 8:5
5”And they exceeded our expectations:
They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.”
Have you heard the phrase “Christianity is not just about believing but also belonging?” That’s true, there is no doubt that God intends for every Christian to be involved in the work of His church, since God is the Author of community, He created you to relate not only to Him through our Lord Jesus Christ but also to others. Whether you call it partnership, teamwork, or community, or ministry team, the main issue here is others. You have been influenced by others and now becoming an influence to others. The Bible shows us that the Church is made up of all kinds of different people. We are very diverse in our interests and talents. But in Christ, we stand together as one body of people.
The Apostle Paul while encouraging the Christian in Corinth to excel in the grace of giving, reminded them of their brothers in Macedonia, that in the area of giving they exceed beyond expectation because they know where the grace came from and where the grace will be given. It will be easy for anybody to give exceedingly if we first give our heart to God, know His will and enjoy the favor that are stored for us then give ourselves to others in the area to service. This is authentic Christianity. Learning to appreciate or complement each other will strengthen our abilities to do greater things. At the same time, it will allow you to grow in the area of understanding the weaknesses of others.
Things to Ponder
1. Give your thought on this statement borrowed from Pastor Andy Harris’
“Our ability to “just get along” with other people will many times be the only difference between your success and failure in relationship. And your ability to maintain relationship with others will determine your true success in work, at home, and in life.”
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Deuteronomy 28:12-15
"The LORD will…bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God…you will always be at the top, never at the bottom…"
Proverbs 21:5 NLT
"Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty."
====Day 18
Equally Important
Mark 12:31 (NLT)
31 “The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."
Have you ever considered that your relationship with people directly affects your relationship with God? Notice the word “equally important” this is a direct proportion to loving God with all of our being. It's impossible to relate well to God when we have poor relationships with others. The Bible says;“ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” (James 3:9-10) And we lose the ability to show others our clear relationship with God when there's a breakdown in your human relationships.
We cannot help but notice that as we look around us we are living in the “me-first” world. In exchange, serving others became strange to us, and becoming more of an unnatural way of life. But when we start living for the Lord we are just reflecting the humility of our Lord Jesus Christ. Helping people, meeting needs, giving them time, teaching and processing them, helping them grow in their relationship with the Lord, and doing ministry can easily be done by us, because we love the Lord. We’re grateful for His grace and we know serving is the highest use of life with great importance.
Things to Ponder
1. What is the one thing we might want to do differently in our lives . . . today?
2. How would you simplify in your own words the second great commandment?
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
2 Corinthians 9:12-13
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
2 Corinthians 8:7 NLT
7”Since you EXCEL in so many ways—in your FAITH, in SPEECH… in KNOWLEDGE…in COMPLETE EARNESTNESS… your LOVE for US…
see that you also EXCEL in this GRACE OF GIVING.
"There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph…whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet."
Acts 4:34-37
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DECEMBER 4 2016 SUNDAY
is HIS LIFE MINISTRIES THANKSGIVING and COMMITMENT DAY.
“God can do great things through one person or a group that is devoted to Him”
Brian Kluth
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====Day 19
Excel in the Grace of Giving
2 Corinthians 8:7
“Just as you excel in everything…see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
Wherever you are in your journey to a more generous life, God wants to take you further! I have discovered that the Lord will draw a new line in the sand for each of us to cross over in order to live more generously and to experience Him more fully. Every step of the way, God calls us to consider the resources He has placed in our hands. Then, He invites us to release them for His work and to trust Him to be our provider. At each point, we may find ourselves fearful and want to hold on to what we have instead of letting it go and trusting God with our needs.
Giving more than I thought I could afford to give. As a young man who had recently come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ, I was prompted in my heart during a church service to put a $20 bill in the offering plate. Prior to that time, I had never given more than a few dollars. As I wrestled with this prompting, I contemplated putting the $20 bill in and taking out change! Ultimately, with a shaking hand, I gave the $20 (without taking change) and in the next few days I experienced God’s peace and provision in such a way that I did not regret giving that amount.
Article by Brian Kluth – borrowed with permission
Things to Ponder
1. What about you? What “line in the sand” is God calling you to cross at this time in order for you to live a more generous life and excel in the grace of giving?
2. Are you willing to cross the line in the sand to give more generously.
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Matthew 6:2-4
(Jesus said) “When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 10:42
Jesus said…“If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
====Day 20
Overflowing Gratitude!
Colossians 2:7
7”Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. “
The image the Apostle Paul offers us in today’s Scripture is one our being like a “plant” whose “roots” grow down into Jesus. The result of our sending roots into Him, is that we “draw up nourishment” from Him. That nourishment grows our faith, and makes us “strong and strong in the truth we were taught.” This process of growth is the STANDARD that Jesus set forth, and which all of the New Testament writers assumed. In our day, folks often suggest that God doesn’t really expect us to be like Jesus, even though that’s the stated goal of much of the New Testament. It’s just too hard to actually follow Jesus. The New Testament writers, on the other hand, assumed that by the power of the Holy Spirit living a faithful life is not only possible, but expected.
Paul certainly admitted that he often did things he didn’t want to do, and didn’t do things he wanted to do (see Romans 7), but in the end exclaimed—“Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Christ Jesus our Lord.” That is the key! When we rely on Jesus and the power of His Spirit in our lives, we WILL grow in our faith, and live an obedient life. When those things happen—or even as they start to happen—the result is that we are called to let our lives OVERFLOW WITH THANKSGIVING for all Jesus has done! Thankful lives are the result of a growing faith. Thankful lives are the result of being “strong and vigorous” in the truths we were taught. As we go about this day, and every day, let’s make it our intention and our action to let our roots grow down deep into Jesus. The result will be OVERFLOWING GRATITUDE!
Things to Ponder
1. What ONE action will you take today to let your “roots” grow down into Jesus?
2. Ask God to empower you to do that ONE thing!
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
Psalm 37:16
“Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked.”
2 Corinthians 9:6
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
====Day 21
Grateful for the Greatest Gift of All!
Ephesians 5:1,2 MSG
"Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that."
He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. The Apostle Paul knew that the greatest thing that was given you and me is the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ! That’s why his words to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy, start with the statement, “Watch what God does, and then you do it” How often do you think about the greatness of Jesus’ gift of salvation in your life? As you go about the day, do you pause to consider that Jesus—the only Son of the living God of the universe—came to earth to die on the cross so that YOU and I could receive the gift of salvation? While some of the common, everyday blessings of life may be easy to overlook or take for granted, how can we take for granted what Jesus has done for us? After all, once we know Jesus, the best way to say, “Thank You!” to Him is to tell others about the greatest gift of all, too!
Thanksgiving should not be just a special calendared day in November or December, though it is a special day for us in the church. It should be a daily process of reviewing the wonders of God's beautiful love. Thanksgiving should be a lifestyle, an outward expression of our gratitude and grateful acknowledgment of benefits and favors that God has given us. Just remember that the main point of this celebration is how to grow in your Christian journey towards discipleship and stewardship prosperity in life. As we give our best let us excel in this grace of giving for the of God.
Things to Ponder
1. Pray and review your thanks giving gift.
2. Bring your whole family to the church and give thank God together.
3. Prepare the best family date after the celebration.
Prayer Journal
Share your thoughts as you pray and write down some of it in the line provided bellow
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Gracious Act of Giving
– Stewardship Scripture
James 1:17
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights”.
Ephesians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
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