THE CULTURE OF THE KINGDOM (PART 3)

THE CULTURE OF THE KINGDOM (PART 3) 

TEXT: Matt. 6:9-10

9, After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

When we go after God with enough hunger and passion, He will overwhelm us with His presence and bring us to the place where we are able to catch glimpses of the glory of the kingdom.  Whatever we experience here is a fore shadow of things to come. The truth remains that if God overwhelms us with all of His glory, the earth cannot contain it. In other words, we don’t have the capacity here on earth to fathom it.

So God just allows us to have a little peep into our future and that keeps us going. Once we are able to comprehend the life and the culture of the kingdom, this is where the content, form and expression of our worship are truly defined. We are then able to manifest on earth that which is in heaven and then invade earth with the heavenly realities to the glory of God.

ACTION POINT

When we totally surrender and filled with hunger for God, he allows us glimpses of the kingdom.

KNOWING AND MEETING THE NEED OF THE FATHER

KNOWING AND MEETING THE NEED OF THE FATHER ( John 4:20-24,Luke 7:36-50)

The Holy Spirit is a wonderful loving personality given to every believer in Christ. Thank God for such opportunity as you take time today to acknowledge this personality in your life by communing with him.

CONTEMPLATION

“One of the greatest challenges we face is to identify just what the Father desires to accomplish in and through us during a particular worship experience and how He wants it done.”p64

When we are out of fellowship with God it is very unlikely that we will lead others into the glory. But when we are in true fellowship with God when we talk with people, the presence of God flowing out of us will begin to impact them. Those who come to us confused or sad will leave feeling lot much better. There is a light and warmth manifesting from such lives. People may dislike and criticize us but when they become desperate for the light they will look for us. Anyone can produce extraordinary results revealing the mysteries of God if only we are willing to spend quality time with God.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

“God does not respond to our worship because the performance is flawless in the rating of men, He responds to worship that is from the heart.” P 64 FFPW.  

Sometimes in our own estimation, some people some people are not serious or enthusiastic about worship but sometimes it is possible that we are the problem. When they encounter the glory they will worship.

-          REV. IGHO Y. 

THE SPIRIT OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD (PART 1)

THE SPIRIT OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD (PART 1) 

TEXT: Psalm 19:9

⁹The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgement of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

To be in the place of leadership is one thing most people desire but not many are careful enough to find out what it takes to become one. There are many who may be highly gifted but unable to reach the fullness of their potentials and the purpose of God for their lives because they lack the fear of God. Our world is increasingly becoming godless and many nations that were once very powerful are trying to take God out of their government and they are seeing the consequences of a godless society. Many who are trying to make themselves very important and popular have chosen to please and satisfy men to achieve their dream but those who have left a mark in the hearts of men have done so by following the timeless principles of God.  Let us carefully note how God recommend that it should be done.
^“21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: Exodus 18:21 (KJV)

From this passage it is obvious that any leader with these qualities is prepared to make a difference. Such men are ready to obey God even when it does not make sense. They will be ready to do so when it hurts. They are the kind that will obey even if they cannot see the benefit.  

Psalms 25:14 (AMP) says “¹⁴ The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning.”

The Lord delights in vessels that are determine to bring him glory and will use them to demonstrate to others that it pays to fear the Lord. If you will live your life with the fear of the Lord you will be amazed what He will do with you.

THE SERVICE AND BLESSING OF OBEDEDOM (PART 6 )

THE SERVICE AND BLESSING OF OBEDEDOM (PART 6 ) 

TEXT:1 Chronicles 16:38 (KJV)
³⁸ And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:

1 Chronicles 26:4 (KJV)
⁴ Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,

1 Chronicles 26:8 (KJV)
⁸ All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.

It is amazing what can happen when a life is dedicated to serving God. When we started talking about the man Obededom he was not really known but when the Ark rested in his house for three months he became the talk of the town. If could have imagined the blessing that would go with the Ark that caused the death of Uzza? That which brought about the death of one led to the blessing of the other. What is the difference in the service of Obededom and that of Uzza? Obededom was careful to render his service as recommended but Uzza was carried away in his zeal and in the process ignore divine protocol. This is a serious lesson to every one of us. We must serve and always be mindful to glorify and honour God. When we are careful to do so like Uzza did, we would move from glory to glory.

There is no limit to the blessing to come from faithfully serving God. When God begins to reward a man for being careful to honour him with his service, the blessing can be very strange. From our Bible texts for today you can see the evidence and far reaching impact of such blessing released upon Obededom. In 1 Chronicles 16:38 we read of how this blessing flowed to 68 brethren of his and gave them a place among the people of God. In 1 Chronicles 26:4 the names of his sons were mentioned in the Holy Scriptures and this is an honour given to only a few. In 1 Chronicles 26:8 his family has become great in number and significance from one generation to another. The scripture says they were “able men for strength for the service…” Take note that it says “able men” in other words they had certain abilities that were not common. Then it went on to reveal to us that this ability and strength is for the service of God. When a man makes himself available and becomes willing to bring glory to God, that which he needs to succeed will be released upon him. Obededom opened his doors and heart to the Lord and his life and that of his family was never the same again. What about you? What is your testimony? 

. A PATCHED LAND

.    A PATCHED LAND 

Isaiah 44:3 “for I will pour upon him who is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. I will pour My Spirit upon your offspring, and My blessing upon your descendant.” AMP.

                  When you are like a dry ground David called it a “Patched Land”, he said “my soul is thirsty for you like a patched land”, you know a patched land that has been eaten up by draught that is already broken, and he said that is how my soul is, am waiting for as much as you can pour. God said to that one, I don’t just pour a little, I send flood.

                  Some people carry a bucket of the presence, some people carry a cup of the presence, but some people come with the flood. They are not just there for themselves, they are there to fill every other person, and so the glory of God begins to fall upon as many that come in contact with them. Such person manifests the presence of God wherever they go. They do not need to be in church before they manifest it, you meet them you’re wondering there is something about this person, it’s the presence of God.

PRACTICAL ISSUE                                                                                                                                

What happens when people come in contact with you?

(Transcribed from Fragrance of Glory, copy right, march 3rd, 2012)

THE SERVICE AND BLESSING OF OBEDEDOM (PART 5)

THE SERVICE AND BLESSING OF OBEDEDOM (PART 5) 

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 15:25 (KJV)
²⁵ So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy.

1 Chronicles 16:5 (KJV)
⁵ Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;

The beginning of verse 25 is such an encouragement to every true labourer passionately serving God in spirit and truth. The verse says David the king and other elders of Israel who would not have had the time to notice the house of Obededom have to joyfully prepare in their very best with all zeal to go over to Obededoms’ house. According to verse 5 of chapter 16, Obededom was suddenly found among those with psalteries and harps. When you faithfully serve the Lord you cannot completely predict the next place you will find him. Others may be trying to manipulate their way through but in the eyes of others he will suddenly begin to rise like an eagle because “they that wait upon nthe Lord shall renew their strength… the shall mount up with wings like the eagle. When a man is able to discipline himself to wait on the King of Kings it is not uncommon to find him dinning with kings. As he spends his time serving the king of kings he begins to learn and imbibe the protocol of the palace. He learns the wisdom of the wise as he becomes privy to the counsel and administration of the palace and in no distant time he becomes an asset to any who seeks to find favour with the king. The most important blessing of service is not the money you earn but the wisdom you learn. Are you a faithful servant?  

THE CULTURE OF THE KINGDOM (PART 2)

THE CULTURE OF THE KINGDOM (PART 2) 

TEXT: Matt. 6:9-10

9, After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Worship is not enshrined in the traditions and religion of men, these are unreliable because they are susceptible to the influences of human philosophies and culture which are unstable and fallible, but the word of the Lord endures from one generation to the other.

When we pray, we say thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, the culture of the kingdom swallows up all the various traditions.

Worship has been in heaven from eternity past and will continue forever and it’s not boring. It truly goes to say that the experience is renewed every single moment and that is why for us to say a worship experience here on earth is awesome, it has to be dynamic. It has to be Spirit inspired, it has to be as it is in heaven. In other words, the only one who shows us how it is in heaven is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came from heaven to show us how it is in heaven.

ACTION POINT

Any worship that the Holy Spirit leads, directs and controls is an exciting event. It never gets bored.