Balancing your life

 By balancing your life, I mean balancing your relationship with God and your relationship with the world. Let us assume your relationship with God is x and your relationship with the world is y and z is the value for whether you will inherit eternal life or not, z is the result of finding the difference between your x and y.

If you substitute for instance 1 for x and 2 for y you get z as -1, which implies that your relationship with the world is making you unable to inherit eternal life, when you substitute 5 for x and 1 for y you get 4 which implies that your relationship with God gives you the ability to inherit eternal life.

 If we must really have eternal life, our relationship with God must be stronger than our relationship with the world. Trying to balance our relationship with the world only makes us empty. When you try to get all of the world and all of God it only ends in nothing but emptiness, Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other”.

Here is how God treats people who want to be loyal to both, “because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:17, NKJV). We are to strive to grow our relationship with God.

Well, let’s go back to the equation, let us say x is 5 and y is 5, your z becomes 0. We should be ready to detach ourselves from the things of this world. We cannot really get satisfied with the things of this world, true satisfaction comes from God. We cannot really serve God heartily if we are attached to this world. You can’t even overcome the devil when you are already on his side.

Let us draw close to God. When you fast, you don’t just stop eating, you stop anything from this world that distracts you from communing with God. You should not only pray because you have a problem with affairs of the world, sometimes, you can just pray because you want to talk with God, you want to praise Him for the blessings in your life.

We should not be fools but wise, knowing that the days are evil. This world is going to pass away and melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:10-13), but we do not have to melt along with it. God has given a way out, go through the way. Narrow is the way that leads to eternal life, only few find it (Matthew 7:13,14).

The quest for food or comfort should not reduce the strength of our relationship with God. God has said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Let our trust be in God, if the ravens could bring food for Elijah in the time of drought, what can God not do. I beckon on you, build your relationship with God and everything else will be built. May God help us to be closer to Him in Jesus name.

Lesson 9 Review: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord

Introduction

Memory Text: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes" (Psalms 118:22-23).

With great evidence to clear every doubt, the scriptures especially the Old Testament written and pointed to Christ, his works, betrayal, suffering, death, resurrection, etc. 

What lessons does the psalmist give out here? 

The Psalms testify about Christ's person and ministry. Almost all aspects of His work in the plan of salvation are seen in the Psalms and other books of the Old Testament.

How is the relationship between the Lord and His people portrayed in these lessons? 

When David said The Lord is my shepherd, God is our provider and we are the sheep of His pasture, with His divine protection David ascribed to God the ultimate source of help.

Kings were considered shepherds of their people (2 Sam. 5:2). Yet, only God truly deserves this title because, in God's government, Who rules in might declaring justice to everyone, with no partial judgment.

How was the Messiah treated by those He had come to save?

Despite all the miraculous works of healing that were performed by Jesus, many still find it difficult to believe who Jesus was that even at the point of death, little did they know that the Saviour was on the cross.

How does God's covenant endure forever? 

God's promises and covenant are based on obedience to His divine command, in other way; the people feel the bitter consequences of their disobedience and realize the gravity of their sins.

What do these lessons teach us about Christ as King? 

We all are fallen human beings and God alone reigns supreme in our lives, hence God's rulership is genuine, the earthly king will not meet the heavenly standard of justice rather they'll compromise.

How is Christ's priesthood unique, and what great hope can we find in Christ's heavenly priesthood?

People's sins and open rebellions constantly provoke God to abandon His people, but God's oath stands firm, each time man sins. God's grace and mercy are sufficient for the repented people.

In Conclusion,

Whether it’s Christ's prayers or prayers about Christ, the Psalms provide a unique revelation of Christ's person and the redeeming ministry as the One who is "God with us.” Thus we should cultivate the psalmist’s Faith and Hope for such a troublesome period we are living in today. Christ is the source of our help and let Christ be our only hope in Jesus' name.

Where Faith Comes In

 Habakkuk 2:4 – “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”

Do you want to know what faith really is? Just look at what Christianity is about. None living in the 21st century was alive when Christ was on earth but every Christian living in the 21st century believe that He lived, died and resurrected for our sins. None living in the 21st century witnessed those miraculous events written in the Bible, but every Christian living in the 21st century is expected to believe that they happened.

 Atheism results from a person’s refusal to believe or in other words have faith in the supreme God. We regularly hear that there is God who created all things, but the famous question from Atheists remain, “How do you know?”.

That is even the more reason why every sacrifice or service given to God must be backed up with faith, because we may not get so close to seeing God as Moses was. Here is where faith comes in.

If we look to physical things to live uprightly, to get the great reward, we may not end well. The fact remains that there are elements available to support every choice one makes. That is to say, if you believe in God you will certainly find reasons to believe in God the more, if you believe there is no God, though the reasons to believe God remain, you will still find reasons to believe there is no God.

The aspect that so requires our exercising of faith is in receiving something from God. Of course, we need God’s protection, blessings, peace, love and more specifically, we need God’s salvation, but do we have faith in the One you expect these things from.

Salvation is received by faith, but pretty much everything has to do with our faith. Even if your faith is as small as a mustard you can say to the mountain to move and it will (Matthew 17:20). Here is where faith comes in. The question comes, how often do we let faith come in?

The just shall live by faith (Hab. 2:4) does not denote a one-time event, the expression portrays a way of life. If we must be God’s people we must live by faith, only then can we please God (Heb. 11:6).

This is why the Bible tells us that we should believe that we receive when we ask (James 1:6). It is not just enough to attend church services, teach in the synagogues about faith or even fast. If you do not know and believe in what you want, how can you receive? (Matthew 8:10; Matthew 13:58).

When our strength fails faith comes in, when burdened, faith can come in, when we want healing to a particular disease, certainly we must let faith come in.

While faith comes in in these situations, Faith cannot come in to lead us to disobedience (James 4:3). Faith leads us to doing what we have to do.

In asking too, we must be careful not to ask amiss. When you ask amiss, even with faith, it may not be granted.

We see this among some who profess to be Christians, they say they are saved by grace, they believe in grace, but then it ends there, they don’t act like those saved.

James 2:18 makes us to know that our faith is seen in our works. How can you have faith in Christ and reject everything written about Him.

We ask to spend it on our pleasure, we ask with the wrong motives and in such situations, even our faith may not work out.

We live by faith in God, by faith in God, it entails believing His Word, by believing we mean keeping the things written therein irrespective of the external factors. Let us learn to live by faith, our works though sophisticated cannot bring positive results.

To abide in faith is to put aside feeling and selfish desires, to walk humbly with the Lord, to appropriate His promises, and apply them to all occasions, believing that God will work out His plans and purposes in your heart and life. – Fundamentals of Christian Education, 341, 342.

Where can faith come in? In everything we do. May God help us to be faithful in Jesus name.

Lesson 8 Review: Wisdom for the Righteous Living

Introduction

Memory Text: "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalms 90:12, NKJV).

wisdom is the principal thing in the life of a righteous man, keeping the law of God does not mean we won't be tempted or be perfect but it makes one wise and safe from evil.

Why should we seek Wisdom so important?

For a Christian to understand the time of the end and to overcome evil, wisdom depends on the word of God. thus, every believer’s prayers should anchor on God's mercy and faithfulness because He can deliver us from the devil's dart.

what will be the reward for hiding the word of God in our hearts? 

keeping the Commandments is in our own favour and God benefits nothing from it, indeed God is faithful to reward us with a beautiful city of gold. but we must exhibit an attitude of loyalty and total submission to the will of God to make a complete fulfillment of His promise.

How careful should we be, if our lives are like a vapor?

In this situation David's word of Lamentation is a touchable count down of life to every humanity, it therefore means we should remember to avoid our daily tasks being left undone. wise living is awareness of the will of God which will help us to understand that we are traveling through difficulties to the life of eternal peace.

what's the essence of God's trials in a believer's life?

the Lord does not slack concerning His promises, thus everyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus must stand to prove his/her faith by testing. the goal of divine discipline is to purge and refine the mind of doubt away from the hearts of the elect.

why should we pray as the psalmist concerning temptation? 

though God has given us full assurance of safety does not mean we should cease to pray or give up the good work, we are surrounded by evil and by evil the world's agents of the darkness are against the counsel of the righteous but God is willing and ready to come to our rescue.

what blessings are promised to those who Reverence The Lord?

Just like an earthly father who loves his obedience child more so than them who call upon the Lord in a contrite heart, the children of Israel were to take over the promised Land if they maintained the standard of righteousness by submitting to the will of God. so the same task is laid before us heavenly race can be accomplished if we walk according to His (God) command.

In Conclusion,

if we subtract God from our lives then we are like grass that fades and withers away, God is the source and center of every human hope who waits patiently to God. to be able to succeed, especially in the last days of Earth's history we must seek after wisdom and the Gospel of our Lord Jesus should revive our conscience to good work believing that the sun stain world and it's pain one day will become a songs of the saints in Jesus’ name.

For many are called, but few are chosen.

Key Text: Matthew 22:14 — “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 

You will agree with me that not everyone invited to an event actually attends that event.

Conversely, not everyone who attended the event were invited.

 

We see in the parable that the King organized his feast in the best way, and invited everyone from all classes of people, but only the classes of the people that live in the highways came to the feast.

                While in the feast, there was one without a garment who was cast out.

The system of choosing few from many has been the lot for almost throughout earth’s history.

¾     Genesis 7:7 – Noah, his wife, his sons and his son’s wives, eight in all were the only Ones who saved from the flood that destroyed the earth.

¾     Genesis 19:16 – Lot, his wife and two daughters were chosen to be saved from the destruction that befell Sodom and Gomorrah. Though Lot’s wife by her actions chose to look back and became a pillar of salt.

¾     Exodus 19:4 – God bore Israel on eagle’s wings and slew the Egyptians; Exodus 33:19 -  I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious to… ¾ The people whom God was gracious to were the Israelites, not because of their greatness. Deuteronomy 9:1-7 makes us understand the unworthiness of the Israelites both in appearance and character, but they were chosen.

It came to the birth of Jesus, and Jesus was born to the low class of people, He grew up among the low people and even the elites, but when He was to choose His disciples, He selected few, who could easily be seen as unworthy by men.

                Infarct, the way that leads to life is a narrow way, its gate is a narrow gate, only few find it.

On the contrary, the gate that leads to destruction is wide and many go in by it.

Many have been called over the millennia, at a point in earth’s history, many people were seen to be keeping God’s commands but as he who received the seed on stony places, when tribulation or persecution arose, they were many who stumbled (Matthew 13:20,21).

 

God’s word does not change because of the number, God destroyed the entire earth of giants (Genesis 6:4) with flood, He will destroy the whole earth of sin soon.

 

Will you follow others to sin against God, simply because the people doing this are in great number?

 

Remember, Heaven and Earth may pass away but God’s word will never pass away ¾ Luke 21:33

The Seventh-Day Adventist is the only Christian denomination that holds onto the teachings of the Bible, the Seventh-Day Adventist appears also to have few members when compared to other Christian denominations and other religions.

 We uphold the Sabbath Commandment among others, but very many other denominations observe Sunday as the Sabbath. While some denominations may observe the Seventh-day Sabbath, they introduce false teachings.

But let us not think that we are saved by the church we have our membership in, even at the wedding there was One who was cast out for not having the wedding garment on.

                We can be in the church and be so lost, without the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2), without believing in Jesus, we can by no means be saved (John 3:16).
So, in a nutshell, even in the Remnant Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the few, not even all the members may be saved.

                Our example should be Christ, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life ¾ John 14:6.

                We should never leave the church because of someone, or something. Jesus would never fail, our eyes should be on Him.

                Remember, the broad way that leads to destruction can accommodate the crowd, but the narrow way can be found by few.

               

                Many are called, but few are chosen. 

Lesson 7 Review: Your Mercy Reaches Unto the Heavens

Introduction

Memory Text: “I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds” (Psalm 57:9, 10, NKJV).

The grace of God brings pities to humans because we are unable to offer unto God what is due to be done but God is faithful enough to keep His Covenant to Eternity.

Serving a Faithful God, how is our faith strengthened?

fresh experience of God's love strengthens our minds that nothing should be in between our relationship with God even as nothing else can separate us from God.

How does God's mercy inspire our Lives?

However, the fact that God's mercy endures forever is repeated 26 times throughout the Psalms, but in our lives is uncountable and it will always be uncountable to express God's true nature and character to His creatures.

why should forgiveness be a great task for Believers to accomplish?

while pleading for God to forgive us we should also learn to forgive others, we were as sheep led astray but God sought us and found us we too must play the role of forgiving one another and pointing to others the way to meet Christ.

where would you be if God marked our iniquities?

the psalmist's great affliction is clearly understood that if God doesn't blot out his sins then there's no one who could stand or live on Earth, it is God's readiness to forgive sin and never to remember anymore, thus the psalmist's Faith is grounded on the word of God.

why is it more important to remember what happens at Calvary? 

someone was invited to dine with the King, but in the end, he went his way out without thanking the king and the king was so angry, if at the end of everything God has done to us, we don't thank God, then it's indeed so wrong we are to be thankful to God always.

How could our Testimonies impact others?

when we tell people about what God has done for us it makes people also believe that since God has done these great things in the lives of his children then He (God) will visit them at the appointed time, never to give up their hopes on God, God's blessings are a benefit to everyone.

In Conclusion,

In the Psalms, we understand that out of our own, we have nothing without God to bless us, the final aim of the Psalmist's personal testimonies and praise of God's mercy in his life is to reassure others of God's loving-kindness so that they, too, can open their hearts to God and receive His saving grace and praise God in Jesus’ name.

Lesson 6 Review: I Will Arise

Introduction

Memory Text: " ‘For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,' says the Lord; ‘I will set him in the safety for which he yearns ' " (Ps 12:5, NKJV).

Despite living in a world of evil, God is Righteous enough to provide everyone with faithful and truthful justice and to relieve every man from oppression.

Read Psalms 12:5, why did God say I will Arise?

Only when we see and believe in God's name we know he will fight to guarantee His children's safety from the hands of our foes.

Why should we trust in God and not in our Might?

Our strength will fail us but praise be to God whose powers and Might endure forever even amid our unfaithfulness.

How poor and needy are we and the people among us, how can we reach out for help?

Poor and needy here doesn't mean a physical lack of wealth but being hopeless, unable to withstand the fierce darts of our adversary in the spiritual combat of the Great Controversy.

What lessons should we learn about injustice in our world today?

Only when we understand that we are equal to others, does God place every man in a higher and better position not to hurt one another of less privilege but to help, using it to the glory of God.

Read Psalm 94:1,2, vengeance belongs to who?

The Davidic attitude towards oppression and affliction is clearly understood by the reasoning of acknowledging God to be his vindicator even we who believe also in God.

Why should Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary be good news to all the believers?

When the confessed sins of God's people are covered with the blood of Jesus, then the workers of iniquity will be put to open shame and destruction, and by that time the probation closes against the wicked.

In Conclusion,

Arise, O Lord. This should be the Prayer of every believer who waits patiently on God, hope and trust should be demonstrated. Expressing our helplessness and need to God for Divine intervention in Jesus' name.