I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). Philippians was written by Paul to assure the believers in Philippi of God's unfailing purpose in all situations. He speaks in this 4th chapter of Philippians about an "I can do" attitude. Paul's experience in various circumstances of life, made him to conclude generally that he could "do all things." He could bear any trial, perform any duty, subdue any evil, etc. He now expresses the firm confidence that nothing would be required of him which he would not be able to perform. As expressed in our text, Paul's declaration was not a vain self-reliance, nor was it the mere result of his former experience. He knew well where the strength was coming from, the strength by which he could do all things, and upon that arm of the Almighty GOD that was able to uphold him, he confidently relied. He learned how to rely on God’s strength. Paul was not a victim of his circumstances, he was a victor. He knew that the Lord is in control, and he also knew that it was a matter of choice for him to trust in the Lord in all of his circumstances. Paul chose to trust God even in the dark.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).

Philippians was written by Paul to assure the believers in Philippi of God's unfailing purpose in all situations. He speaks in this 4th chapter of Philippians about an "I can do" attitude. Paul's experience in various circumstances of life, made him to conclude generally that he could "do all things." He could bear any trial, perform any duty, subdue any evil, etc. He now expresses the firm confidence that nothing would be required of him which he would not be able to perform. As expressed in our text, Paul's declaration was not a vain self-reliance, nor was it the mere result of his former experience. He knew well where the strength was coming from, the strength by which he could do all things, and upon that arm of the Almighty GOD that was able to uphold him, he confidently relied. He learned how to rely on God’s strength. Paul was not a victim of his circumstances, he was a victor. He knew that the Lord is in control, and he also knew that it was a matter of choice for him to trust in the Lord in all of his circumstances. Paul chose to trust God even in the dark.

Philippians 4, verse 13, is a scripture we should always keep present in our hearts and minds. Whenever we face difficulties, or things that are greater than ourselves, we need just to remember the God we serve, and how, through HIM, we can do everything: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Here is one of the great Bible truth, the experience of God’s strength, God’s power, and God’s victory in our circumstances. I hope this scripture will stick with you not only today, but also that it would stay with you throughout your lifetime. There is nothing impossible with God (Luke 1:37), and likewise through Him and HIS strength, there is nothing impossible for us.

According to our text, if you just read the first part of this verse, it would immediately sound an alarm indicating arrogance: "I can do all things." This was the spirit that attempted to build the tower of Babel but could not succeed. Many today infected by humanism and without any trust in God - make the same claim: "I can do all things." Yet, no sooner had they begun a project than you see them failing. But the next two words, "through Christ" in the verse take this out of the context of arrogance completely. So, it is no longer a boast of self: "I can do all things." Rather, it is, "I can do all things through Christ." Which makes a big difference. It is one thing for someone to say, "I can do all things." It is quite different for another to confess, "I can do all things through Christ."

Now to get the impact of this, pause and think about what you could not do without Him. Without Him, you could not have adequate knowledge of God. Without Him, you could not experience victory over sin. Jesus said to His disciples, "without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). In Ephesians 2, verse 12, the scripture teaches that outside of Christ, we have "no hope" and we are "without God in the world." Therefore, being with Christ and through Him; in our relationship of active faith in Him, we have strength we could not have in any other way. Through Christ, we have strength that comes through born again experience, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, we have strength in answer to prayer we offer to God through Him. Through Christ, we have strength to adequately evaluate ourselves. Strength of character as we follow His example and obey Him. Of the strength which Christ can impart, Paul had had abundant experience; and now his whole reliance was there. It was not in any native ability which he had; not in any vigor of body or of mind; not in any power which was in his own resolutions; rather, it was in the strength that he derived from the Redeemer.
Today, the POWER of GOD is still flowing, and His strength is made available in such abundance that we can do everything God wants us to do - I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. In your life experience, either good or bad, you have a choice to trust in God and His strength. Many times we feel that we are powerless victims of fate. Our attitude is "I can not" overcome, "I can not" make it, "I can not" do this or do that. It is an attitude of doubt and disbelief, and a lack of trust and faith in God. This attitude is of the devil and is not of God. The devil would want us to think that we are worthless and cannot do anything. God wants us to think positively, and to change from the "I can not" negative attitude to the "I can" positive attitude. In the same breath, Paul reminds us that our "I can not" becomes "I can" through Christ. How?

By learning to rely on God’s strength in your life situations. In fact, what is very important to see here is that this spirit of "I can do all things through Christ" is "learned", which means to "learn by experience." As you exercise your faith muscle, your ability to trust Him grows. You learn to rely on God’s power through your life experience, one choice at a time, and what you find is that your faith grows even greater the next time a difficult situation arises. That is why Paul’s faith grew as he walked with God. He learned to trust in God’s strength day-by-day. Paul encourages the church at Philippi that even though they may be going through tough time, that they, through Christ, can do all things. And I believe that God wants us to have that kind of attitude today, no matter what we are facing. Now you may ask this question, "How do I get over the "I can not" negative attitude?

Beloved, we need to recognize that our ultimate, all in all strength, is found in God and God alone. Apart from God, we really can not do anything, but when we get hooked up to the ultimate power source, which is Jesus, we can do all things according to his will and for his purpose. I believe what David says, "The Lord is my strength and my redeemer." God is our ultimate strength and source. We have to get hooked up to God to overcome the "I can not" negative attitude. We must deal or do away with fear and anxiety. As it is written, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." We fear trying new things, why? Because of fear of the unknown. But we have to realize the POWER God has bestowed upon us. Fear and anxiety are tools of the enemy, and we need to recognize the power God has given us over him. The Bible says, "If you resist the devil, he will flee!" We have to get over our fears in order to conquer the "I can not" negative attitude.

As a Believer, you must believe in yourself too - you have to BELIEVE that you can do it or make it happen. We have to believe that we can do whatever it is that we are trying to do. Are you relying on His strength today? Where do you need God’s strength today? In what area of your life do you need to claim the promise of His strength? His grace really is sufficient. Jesus Christ called Himself the Alpha and the Omega, and we do not have to go outside of him for anything that we need. He is God’s "everything" in all situations. Jesus is all-sufficient God for us. We have to exercise faith in things we don’t see yet. The most important part of a tree is the part that you cannot see - the root system, and the most important part of the Christian’s life is the part that only God can see - the life of faith. Unless we draw on the deep resources of God by faith, we will fail against the pressures of life. Paul depended on the power of Christ at work in his life. Therefore, he declared, "I can do all things by means of the strength of Christ in me." I am the instrument, He is the power! You too must believe that you can do it or make it happen in this life through the same power of GOD. God’s Word is true: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. I encourage you, no matter what you are facing today, you can do it, and you can make it happen, just stay close to God, and he will empower you, TO DO ALL THINGS!

Here are three important facts I don't want you to miss:
(1). God’s strength is sufficient in our trials and burdens.
(2). God’s strength is also sufficient in whatever the Lord calls us to do. That God who empowered Paul to fulfill his mission is still the same today, He will also empower you, He will strengthen you to do what He has called you to do.
(3). God’s strength is also sufficient to empower us to face whatever the future holds.

As you read and apply this message to your heart the Almighty God will richly bless you. Remain blessed in the LORD. Keep on reading and following the LORD, JESUS CHRIST...from Evangelist Chikadibia S. F. Emenike. See me at: http://fasuchem.blogspot.com/, http://fasuchem.wordpress.com/, http://fasuchem.livejournal.com/, http://fasuchem.tumblr.com/, http://fasuchem.blog.com/, http://fasuchem.tblog.com/, http://my.opera.com/fasuchem/blog/, http://twitter.com/fasuchem/, http://facebook.com/fasuchem/, http://fasuchem.stumbleupon.com/, etc.

GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS

"And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured" (Genesis 39:1-6).

God is with us always, even unto the end of the world. As it is written, "LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD." Beloved, If you won't remember anything else remember that GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS. When Jesus says, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, He means it. He is God who is a "being with." He is with us and we are with him; He is within us and we are within Him: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, always, until the end of the age. Our God is not a God who is far away, sitting on a throne in heaven somewhere; our God is a God with us always.

Over and over with each of the main characters of the first book of the Bible, God sets forth His providential control, His foreknowledge and His predestination of everything. God walks us step by step through the doctrine of providence. He shows how it relates to our responsibility, and He shows how He uses even the evil purposes of men to further His good purposes, not only in redemption, but even in the individual lives of His people. It’s almost like God establishing a barrier whereby we can’t possibly go on and misinterpret the rest of the Bible, having studied Genesis where His foreordination, His providence and His foreknowledge is so clear.

Here we see God’s hand of providence guiding Joseph’s life and by the hatred of His brothers.

After Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, the Midianites took him down to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites. Potiphar is called "the captain of the bodyguard," which means he was the chief executioner or chief of police. In other words, he had charge of security of the palace, with the power of life and death, under the supervision of Pharaoh.

For a moment, try to put yourself in Joseph’s shoes. Let us assume you are seventeen years old. You are the favored son in a family of twelve sons. Your father had chosen you to be the head of the family and he had given you a beautiful robe to symbolize this fact. You are on the path to power, influence and prominence in your family. Then, in a moment of time, everything is gone. You are stripped of your coat. You are betrayed by people who should have loved you. You are separated from your father. You are sold as a slave and carried off into a strange land. Imagine the humility of being examined and sold in a slave auction. Imagine the lies Satan must have told him. Imagine how Joseph must have felt as the camels crested the last hill and the wonders of ancient Egypt spread out before him. It must have been a great culture shock to this young man from the country. On the surface it seemed that circumstances could not have been worse for young Joseph. In truth, those difficult days were mere stepping stones along the path to greater glory. It may have appeared that all Joseph’s dreams had been shattered, but the God Who gave the dreams in the first place was working behind the scenes to ensure that they would all be fulfilled in His time.

Now, it was not a coincidence that Joseph ended up in this man’s home. Without Joseph's knowledge, the Lord had sent him to Potiphar’s house to prepare him for the important task which lies ahead, that of serving as the second highest official in the land of Egypt. But in order for this to happen, Joseph first had to learn the language, culture, business, and politics of Egypt. And it was not handed to him on a silver platter. He had to get up early and stay up late to do his job and also learn the Egyptian ways.

We can determine a sequence of events that culminated in Joseph’s promotion to the second highest position of power in Potiphar’s household. Joseph was a shepherd, so it would have been natural for him to begin his "career" in the fields of Potiphar. His master would first have observed his success in the fields. Good reports reached the ears of Potiphar, who then brought him into his house. What a lesson to be faithful in little.

What no one could see in all this trouble surrounding young Joseph’s life is stated clearly in Gen. 39:2. In that verse, the Bible says, "And the Lord was with Joseph." I want us to learn the great truth that our God is always with His people to see them through in their trials; to accomplish His plans in their lives; and to use them point a lost world to Himself. As we study these truths, please keep in mind that what the Lord did for Joseph, He will also do for you. The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Thus we are to understand that at the most uncertain time of Joseph’s life, when he could see nothing of God, the covenant-keeping-God of Israel was at work to effect His covenant promises through Joseph. In the same way, you and I must understand that as we walk with the Lord, He too will be with us. Even though the circumstances of life may not seem to go our way or as expected, God is in control. He will orchestrate His purposes behind the scenes. We can lean on Him. He will be faithful to us. As I have told you before, God’s purpose in our trials is not to harm us, but to develop us. We can trust Him to protect us and grow us amid the hardships of this life. Our God is in control!

In chapter 39, verse 3, something profound takes place. Moses writes: "Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand." God’s blessing upon Joseph was not ordinary prosperity — it was phenomenal and unexpected, because even Potiphar had to admit that the Lord was with Joseph and was making him to prosper. Imagine how strong Joseph’s testimony had to be for Potiphar to recognize and admire Joseph's character and attributed it to God rather than Joseph. Though Potiphar was a pagan, but Joseph’s life was so uncommon and supernatural that Potiphar had to sit up and observed all that Joseph did.

A lesson that can be learned from the life of Joseph is that God’s blessings are not dependent upon the circumstances but upon one’s relationship. Joseph was brought to the place that was within the location of God’s purpose. God was there with him all of the time.
A person can have the blessings and the prosperity that comes from God by being faithful wherever that person is. I am constantly encouraging people to "bloom where they are planted." Sometimes people forfeit God’s best because of discontent. They think that they can never have the blessings of God right where they are. The proportion of blessings that you receive is proportionate to one’s faithfulness to the Lord. God wants to prosper you wherever you are. This may not base in your personal finances. Prosperity and blessings from the Lord can come in so many different packages. There are so many who are disillusioned in thinking that prosperity is only measured with money. Not so! Joseph was blessed of the Lord because of his relationship to the Lord. He also was under the covenant blessings of the Lord. We can be under the blessings that comes from His grace to us.

Some might have looked at Joseph’s advancement in the home of Potiphar as "good luck". They see a young man like Joseph and he has some bad breaks, soon afterwards things turn around for him. Things start heading the other way for good. People look at that and they say, "He is a lucky Man or His luck is shinning." I want you to know that "luck" had nothing to do with Joseph’s success. In fact, there is no such thing as "luck". Luck is not for the children of the living God! Joseph prospered because God blessed him. Joseph prospered because God saw in Joseph a man He could trust to do His will.

Conclusively, what I want you to see here is this: Joseph was in a bad situation, but he still lived a life that was blessed by the Lord. Joseph was one of several men in the Old Testament who learned to lean upon the Lord and grew in their faith despite terrible difficulties in their lives. He could have become bitter because his brothers sold him into slavery. He could have become lazy in his work but he did not. He works while no one is watching. I am sure that his life was a life of endless drudgery and service, but he was faithful to his tasks. Someone once said, "A Christian is one who is completely fearless, continually cheerful, and constantly in trouble!" Joseph’s life illustrated this saying exactly; however, Joseph was always able to triumph over adversity. Joseph is a picture of faithfulness both to God and man in bleak circumstances. His character caused him to be faithful to his God and to his human master. As a result, God blessed his life and his work.

Here are two thoughts I do not want you to miss:
Just because you are going through trials and problems does not mean that God is not blessing you. You might not see Him moving in your life, but just trust Him and in His time, He will manifest His presence, His glory and His power.
Joseph made the best out of a terrible situation. He demonstrated a proper attitude in the midst of his trials. So should we! We must have the courage to do the right thing. The secret to happiness in hard times is how you respond to what is happening to you. Ninety percent of living a joyful life is simply responding well to your trials. Life is what you make it!

There is no greater encouragement for the believer than just knowing that the Lord will neither leave nor forsake us. The presence of the Lord should sustain us and keep us from really being lonely. The three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had the Lord with them in the fiery furnace. David faced Goliath and said, "for the battle is the Lords" which signified that the Lord was with him. The Lord was with the children of Israel at the parting of the red sea. The same GOD yesterday, is with YOU today, and will be with YOU forever. GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS - Amen!!!

As you read and apply this message to your heart the Almighty God will richly bless you. Remain blessed in the LORD. Keep on reading and following the LORD, JESUS CHRIST...from Evangelist Chikadibia S. F. Emenike, http://fasuchem.blogspot.com/, http://fasuchem.wordpress.com/, http://fasuchem.livejournal.com/, http://fasuchem.tumblr.com/, http://fasuchem.blog.com/, http://fasuchem.tblog.com/, http://my.opera.com/fasuchem/blog/, http://twitter.com/fasuchem/, http://facebook.com/fasuchem/, http://fasuchem.stumbleupon.com/, etc.

IS THERE NO GOD?

#fasuchem

"Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty.

And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken" (2Kings 1:1-17a KJV).

Moab had been in subjection to Israel since David won a war over them. They were taxed every year and now they decided they had had enough and broke away. Basically, they were tired of paying taxes for nothing. During this period, Ahaziah son of Ahab and Jezebel was the king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for about two years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, because he walked in the ways of his father and mother and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. He served and worshiped Baal and provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done. King Ahaziah enjoyed all the privileges of ruling but wanted none of the responsibilities.

In Ahaziah's case, as you can see, the Bible did not give us a lot of information about the accident and what caused it. And whether he was agitated over the lost revenues from Moab or in a drunken stupor we were not told - no one knows, only GOD knows. But one thing is certain, the Scripture told us that he fell through the lattice work of his upper chamber in Samaria, and he was severely wounded which resulted to a serious illness. Perhaps he broke a leg or broke his back or damaged an internal organ in the fall. Maybe he was paralyzed. When the injured king realized he was not recovering, he got worried. The pain was so bad that he decided to seek supernatural advice as to whether or not he would recover. Having been trained by his parents to handle such complications in life by consulting pagan deities, Ahaziah sought counsel from the god of Ekron, hoping that that god would tell him if he would recover from the injury. To this effect, Elijah raised an alarm, "Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?"

Ekron was one of the five major Philistine cities and was a city known for its practice of divination. The name, "Baal-zebub" is a combination of two Hebrew words: 1. "Baal" means "lord or god." 2. "Zebub" in noun form means "fly." Together the two words mean "god of the fly" or "lord of the fly." All we know for sure is that this "fly god" was housed at Ekron, and was believed to speak about the future through its seers and witches and priests.

Some people today might say, as they certainly did in Elijah’s day, "Aw, what is the harm?" And others too could say, "After all, what is so bad about reading your daily horoscope?" Today, countless people seek to know the future. Newspapers and magazines carry columns for both ads and books on astrology, horoscopes, and other occult subjects. Television networks advertise psychic hot lines. The Internet provides a vast array of merchandise for people who are curious of securing information about their fortune and their future. There is danger in seeking answers from anyone or anything else other than from God and His Word. God wants us to turn to him in everything. Ahaziah learned a hard lesson from Elijah who taught him that seeking help from any other god than the Living God is not a good idea. We must put our trust in the Lord alone, and we must never seek help from occult sources or any other source. Elijah confronts not only the king but all his army as well. In many ways the world calls us to come down from serving the Lord. Elijah shows us the victory that is ours if we remain faithful. Idolatry, in any form, carries a very high price tag. That is why we need to be aware of the futility of idolatry.

On the surface, Baal-zebub was nothing more than a hunk of stone or a chunk of wood, maybe in the shape of a fly, but from it emanated all sorts of supernatural, demonic powers. That is why God stepped in when Ahaziah sent his messengers to consult with the god of Ekron. So we see that God quickly dispatched His prophet, Elijah to the scene to intercept Ahaziah’s messengers. God did not want them to have any contact with the demon-inspired god at Ekron. Therefore, God told Elijah to stop them from making that journey and told him to ask them, "Is there no God in Israel that you can call upon?" Why must you go to this god in Ekron? It is amazing how quickly God sometimes acts. The Lord quickly stepped in and let him know that his very decision to go to a false god would cause his death – he would not recover. The Bible says, "So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken." God means what He says and God keeps His word.

Finally, is there no God to inquire from or to call upon for riches, healing, deliverance, etc? Remember, God is not pleased with any occult involvement. No matter what the motive, no matter how great the need, dabbling in occultism is sin. What does the word "OCCULT" mean? Literally, the word "occult" means "hidden". It involves practices that are not approved of by God; including astrology, casting spells, consulting with spirits, sorcery, and witchcraft. Occult practices such as Ouija boards, tarot cards, astrology charts, contacting the dead, etc are to be avoided by every Christian. God’s Word is crystal clear on this subject. As the Scripture says, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God" (Lev. 19:31).

I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and love of our Heavenly Father and His Son, will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us. The future is as bright as your faith. I declare that God lives and that He hears and answers our prayers. Heaven’s blessings await us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen! As you read and apply this message to your heart, vowing to remain faithful to God in the face of all odds, not turning to the left or to the right to go after any strange god, the Almighty God will richly bless you. Remain blessed in the LORD. Keep on reading and following the LORD, JESUS CHRIST...from Evangelist Chikadibia S. F. Emenike, http://fasuchem.blogspot.com/, http://fasuchem.wordpress.com/, http://fasuchem.livejournal.com/, http://fasuchem.tumblr.com/, http://fasuchem.blog.com/, http://fasuchem.tblog.com/, http://my.opera.com/fasuchem/blog/, http://forum4.aimoo.com/fasuchem/, http://twitter.com/fasuchem/, http://facebook.com/fasuchem/, etc.

CHEER UP YOU HAVE OVERCOME

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NIV).

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 KJV).


What you are hearing is the voice of your heavenly Father. Here are the words of Jesus from the Gospel of John, indicating the spiritual level at which he was thinking and living. The Last Supper is over and Jesus is counseling the remaining 11 disciples about what is going to happen in a few short hours. He is also forewarning them of some of the challenges they are going to face in this material world. These precious words of comfort and cheer came from His loving heart and lips. Therefore, he says to them, "be of good cheer" Why? Because he has already overcome the world, the atonement was about to be accomplished. Death would be irrevocably defeated! Satan would have failed to stop the unfolding plan of salvation.

Now, Jesus is about to be crucified, so he comforted his disciples. Jesus said,
"In this world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer..." (John 16:33).

Most of us, though, have positive expectations for the future. But what if life is not as we had hoped it would be? How do we manage the unexpected, and the undesirable turn of events? We cannot know the future, but we certainly know this — we will have unforeseen difficulties that take us by surprise. This happens to everyone. When we face all these challenges, we may have no special passion from which to draw strength. Now, at this point, what do we do? How can we overcome these challenges? Jesus has the answer,
"... be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

The phrase, "be of good cheer" means to exercise courage, to be bold and to be confident. It is a command from the Lord (not a suggestion) to continually be of good courage, to constantly be bold enough and forever be confident that the Lord will bring you through. Jesus was not merely telling us to cheer up, put a smile on our face and hope for the best. He was telling us to take an active and courageous position of faith instead of passively acquiescing to the problem. He was telling us to get on the offense side, to become pro-active with our faith instead of merely reacting to our problems. Why? Because the believer will never escape the tribulation that is in the world. The word "tribulation" means pressure, affliction and trouble. Tribulation can come to you through people, through circumstances and through evil spirits. It is a pressure that comes to you from the outside and tries to fill your heart and mind with burdensome and fretful thoughts. If you let it, tribulation will cause you to take your eyes off of Jesus and to focus totally on the problem. But Jesus says, when tribulation comes .... Be of Good Cheer! Take heart! Do something courageous.


We need to be courageous in the midst of adversity. Courage is the attitude that faces and deals with every difficult and painful problem instead of withdrawing from it. Boldness shows a readiness to take risks and face danger. Confidence is a certain feeling of assurance and faith in the Lord’s ability to see you through every trial and every attack of the enemy. The history of the Church is replete with the experiences of those who have struggled and yet who have remained steadfast and of good cheer as they have made the gospel of Jesus Christ the center of their lives. This attitude is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. It will not remove our troubles from us but rather will enable us to face our challenges, to meet them head on, and to emerge victorious. Too numerous examples of individuals were mentioned in the Bible that faced difficult circumstances, and yet persevered and prevailed, because their faith in the gospel and in the Savior gave them the strength they needed. So, take courage ... be confident ... and never lose heart. The Lord will show you how to overcome the trials and tribulations in your life. There is a way out.

Always, we do have a strength for living that counter-balances all our unforeseen challenges and disappointments. How?
1. If we have obeyed the word of God
2. If we are living with sincerity and diligence.
3. If our mind is set on heaven as our primary objective.
None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges, and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, in large part we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, the Lord said,
"In this world ye shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and love of our Heavenly Father and His Son, will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us. Beloved, child of GOD, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith. I declare that God lives and that He hears and answers our prayers. His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and our Redeemer. Heaven’s blessings await us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Rise up now! Begin to talk to GOD. In your prayer, ask GOD to increase your faith. Remain blessed in the LORD. Keep on reading and following the LORD, JESUS CHRIST...@fasuchem, #fasuchem, http://fasuchem.blogspot.com/, http://fasuchem.wordpress.com/, http://fasuchem.livejournal.com/, http://fasuchem.tumblr.com/, http://fasuchem.blog.com/, http://fasuchem.tblog.com/, http://my.opera.com/fasuchem/blog/, http://twitter.com/fasuchem/, http://facebook.com/fasuchem/, etc.

JUDGE NOT

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5). What you are hearing is the voice of your heavenly Father. We must have a different kind of righteousness from what the scribes and Pharisees had. They wore theirs on their sleeves; it was superficial. Ours must grow out of a heart committed to the Father. Jesus, here in the Sermon on the Mount, deals with two different extremes of the problem of human judgment. The first extreme is a harsh, critical spirit. The second extreme is permissiveness. As Jesus looked at the religious situation of his day, he saw that judging others had become a great religious problem. The Pharisees and scribes sat in the place of the critic. They were quick to pass judgment on those who didn’t live up to their expectations. The Pharisees, in their self-righteous arrogance, had created a special class of people called "sinners," as if they themselves were righteous or holy. The Pharisees were used to judging others self-righteously.

Did Jesus mean that other Christians are not to confront us when we stumble into sin? Did Jesus mean that we are to be tolerant of the sinful practices of others because we may have sin in our lives? Did Jesus mean that to "not judge" was to forsake being involved in the moral aspects of other people's lives? What, then, did Jesus mean when he said, “Judge not?” The word translated “judge” often means to condemn. It means to come to a negative conclusion about another person and then to condemn, and even excommunicate him. That is what Jesus is forbidding. Let me be a little more specific about this. First, we are not to pass final judgment on any person. Final judgment belongs to the Lord. We are not in the condemning business. If anyone needs to be condemned, God himself can take care of that. We should have no part in it. Second, we are not to judge the motives of others. The Bible says, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Often we are quick to come to negative conclusions about others based on why we think they did something. But try as we might, we see only the outside. God alone sees the heart. We can judge what people do; we cannot judge why they do it. We can judge what people say; we cannot judge why they say it.

Only God can judge the hidden secrets of the heart. Leave that judgment to him. You don’t even know your own heart, much less the heart of anyone else. “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can understand it?” All of us can remember times when we did or said something foolish, and looking back we can honestly say, “I don’t know why I did something stupid like that.” But if we can’t understand our own heart, how can we ever presume to understand another person's heart? Third, we are not to be faultfinders. Faultfinding is the “venom of the soul.” It destroys our joy, drains our happiness, and prevents us from having close friendships. No one likes a faultfinder because no one likes being around a nit-picking critic. This sin comes partly from spiritual pride and partly from disguised envy. We criticize others in order to bring them down to our level. Or worse, we tear them down to prove they are really beneath us. Faultfinding is a deadly disease because if not kept in check, it turns us into cynics who expect the worst from others. The faultfinder expects failure and secretly gloats when he finds it. Is it any wonder that the faultfinder almost always is a gossiper and a talebearer? First we spot the flaws of others and then we can’t wait to spread the news. Like the vultures of the air that live on dead bodies, rotting flesh, these sad individuals thrive on the mistakes and sins of others. They fly across the landscape, keeping a close eye out for the failures of others. Then they swoop in for their daily feast. We see husbands going hard on their wives. Wives mercilessly criticizing their husbands. Parents tearing down their children and striping away every vestige of self-esteem. Friends attacking friends, Christians criticizing each other, and many families are held together by the glue of mutual disdain. Why is it that we are so hard on those we say we love the most? But if a person we don’t know offends us, we’re quick to let him off the hook. It makes no sense. If I am honest with myself, I know that I’m far too quick to pass judgment on others. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” If we would pray that way and mean it, we would do a lot more confessing and a lot less judging. We are to judge ourselves first by asking God to show us our sins. We sit and wait and pray for the Holy Spirit to show us our weaknesses, our faults, our mistakes, our bad attitudes, our foolish words, our pride, our arrogance, our need to be in control, our need to run the world, our need to tell others what to do, our desire to have our own way, our anger, our bitterness, our lack of mercy, our lack of love, our lack of compassion. Let me tell you something from personal experience, if you wait long enough, the Lord will always show it to you. Did you notice what Jesus called the judgmental person in verse 5? He called him a hypocrite. What a terrible word that is. That’s what we are when we judge and condemn others without first judging ourselves. First, we ask the Lord to show us our sins. Once we have allowed the Holy Spirit to do his painful surgery within, once we have confessed and repented and mourned over our own sin, then and only then are we ready to do surgery on someone else. This is how you will know you have reached that point: Your own sins will bother you a lot more than the sins of others. And the failures of others won’t seem so huge to you. You’ll know you’re ready to talk to a brother or sister when you don’t want to commit sin any more. To simply gaze on the sins of others is vain and empty and wrong. It turns us into judgmental Pharisees who are quick to condemn. But once we are cleansed and humbled by the Lord, then we are ready to remove the tiny speck from a brother’s eye. And he will be glad for us to do it because he knows we are not there to condemn but to help. I have found that those most critical of others tend to have the most sins. And those closest to God tend to be the most charitable. They are the quickest to forgive, quickest to restore, and the quickest to help someone who is struggling with sin. We have no time to hate, no time to condemn, no time to live in bitterness. As you read and apply this message to your heart, God will richly bless you. Remain blessed in the LORD. Keep on reading and following the LORD, JESUS CHRIST...@fasuchem, #fasuchem, http://fasuchem.blogspot.com/, http://fasuchem.wordpress.com/, http://fasuchem.livejournal.com/, http://fasuchem.tumblr.com/, http://fasuchem.blog.com/, http://fasuchem.tblog.com/, http://my.opera.com/fasuchem/blog/, http://twitter.com/fasuchem/, http://facebook.com/fasuchem/, etc.

GREAT FAITH

"Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. So they two went until they came to Bethlehem" (Ruth 1:1-19a). What you are hearing is the voice of your heavenly Father. We all know very well the story of Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi. It's a story that shows how "God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform." It's a story for people who wonder where God is when there are no dreams or visions or prophets. It's for people who wonder where God is when one tragedy after another attacks their faith. It's a story for people who wonder whether a life of integrity in tough times is worth it. And it's a story for people who can't imagine that anything great could ever come of their ordinary lives of faith. It's a refreshing and encouraging story, and I want you to be refreshed and encouraged this day. Ruth and Naomi teach us how to handle adversity through our trust in God’s ultimate plan for our life. Ruth’s pledge to Naomi has such a powerful effect on us that many include her words in their weddings and on jewelry. God also regards her commitment as the basis of true love. Today's message shows us some practical ways that Ruth expressed her love to Naomi. 1. She stuck with her. 2. She adjusted to her. 3. She reached beyond her comfort zone. 4. She offered encouraging words. 5. She put Naomi’s needs above her own. Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi appear amazing. Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye but Ruth cleaved to her. Not even subsequent entreaties can get Ruth to leave. This is all the more amazing after Naomi's grim description of their future with her. Ruth stays with her in spite of an apparently hopeless future of widowhood and childlessness. Naomi painted the future black and Ruth took her hand and walked into it with her. A look at Ruth’s commitment to go with her mother-in-law can help us in learning how to better commit to God. How? By holding on to our confession of faith without wavering or doubting even unto death. Now, let us go back to the amazing words of Ruth found in 1:16–17, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." What a decision! What a courage! What a great faith! Indeed, it is very exciting. The more you think on these words of Ruth the more amazing they become. This is a very brave, outspoken confession of faith made by a woman, a young woman, a poor woman, a widow woman, and a foreigner. Remembering all that, I should think there is no condition of gentleness, or of obscurity, or of poverty, or of sorrow, which should prevent anybody from making an open confession of allegiance to God when faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has been exercised. If that is your experience, then whoever you may be, you will find an opportunity, somewhere or other, of declaring that you are on the Lord’s side. Ruth's commitment to her destitute mother-in-law is simply astonishing. First, it means leaving her own family and land. Second, it means, as far as she knows, a life of widowhood and childlessness, because Naomi has no man to give, and if Ruth marries a non-relative, her commitment to Naomi's family would be lost. Third, it means going to an unknown land with a new people and new customs and new language. Fourth, it was a commitment even more radical than marriage: "Where you die I will die and there be buried." In other words, she will never return home, not even if Naomi dies. But the most amazing commitment of all is this: "Your God will be my God." Naomi has just said in verse 13, "The hand of the Lord has gone forth against me." Naomi's experience of God was bitterness. But in spite of this, Ruth forsakes her religious heritage and makes the God of Israel her God. Perhaps, Ruth had made that commitment years before, when her husband told her of the great love of God for Israel and his power at the Red Sea, and his glorious purpose of peace and righteousness. Somehow or other Ruth had come to trust in Naomi's God in spite of Naomi's bitter experiences. Here we have a picture of God's ideal woman. Having such great faith in God that sees beyond the present bitter setbacks. Possessing courage to venture into the unknown and the strange. Without securities and comforts of the world. With radical commitment in the relationships appointed by God. You can't have great things or do great things until you are a great person, and great faith will make you great. How to know that you have GREAT FAITH: 1. Great faith has great persistence. 2. Great faith is undeniable. 3. Great faith must be tested. Beloved, work on having great faith today. Work on believing what God says, and when it becomes great faith, you will have it. Great faith isn't great faith until it touches the life of another person - when it does something good for someone else. I wish we could affirm that wherever christians love each other and are true to each other and take risks for each other, God is with them and for them and they are doing God's will. As you read and apply this message to your heart, vowing to remain faithful to God in the face of all odds, God will richly bless you. Remain blessed in the LORD. Keep on reading and following the LORD, JESUS CHRIST...@fasuchem, #fasuchem, http://fasuchem.blogspot.com/, http://fasuchem.wordpress.com/, http://fasuchem.livejournal.com/, http://fasuchem.tumblr.com/, http://fasuchem.blog.com/, http://fasuchem.tblog.com/, http://my.opera.com/fasuchem/blog/, http://twitter.com/fasuchem/, http://facebook.com/fasuchem/, etc.

THE SAFEST PLACE

#fasuchem

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation" (Psalm 91:1-16). What you are hearing is the voice of your heavenly Father. One of the great themes of the Bible is, "Fear not … do not be afraid." For example, Angel Gabriel made the same statement to Mary when he told her that she would bear God's son. And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary:..." (Luke 1:30). Also, when Jesus and his disciples were caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, he repeated the same statement, "It is I; be not afraid" (John 6:20). Here, the psalmist or writer of Psalm 91, as we all have seen, laid much emphases on the blessings of dwelling in the secret place of the Almighty. There are many powerful principles as contained in Psalm 91 that will enable you to come through any trouble, trial or tragedy. In psalm 91, there is assurance and security of lives for those who make God their refuge and tower. The setting of this Psalm is interesting enough as we see the Psalmist describing the ongoing sovereign protection of God's people - that God is ever protecting them in all dangers and terrors which surround them day by day. Psalm 91 is the Psalm about refuge, about God’s protection and safety, which is something I pray that we all might have this day, wherever you may be...a refuge, a place of rest and God’s protection and safety. Psalm 91 is a fascinating Psalm. It promises a number of awesome blessings in it, while at the same time it contrasts the huge difference between the permanence of God on one hand, and the absolute mortality and frailty of man, on the other hand. The same principles of danger written about in this Psalm, can be applied to the dangers and trials that we face today; and we can therefore in turn choose to abide in God, and to trust in God, just as these saints did, so many years ago. But there is a real danger here in mis-interpreting this Psalm as so many of the Word Faith teachers do. They claim the passage to mean that Christians should never go through any trials or troubles, they should never get sick or face any danger. If you do face trials, it is because of sin in your life; if you do get sick, it is because you do not have enough faith. But to interpret it this way would mean missing the entire point of this Psalm. Therefore, the Psalm did not say, nor does the Psalm mean that you will not go through trouble in your life. But the basic theme of this Psalm is this: That when we go through trouble, not if, but when we go through trouble, God is with us, if we abide in Him. Abide in God, dwell in God, dwell in the secret place of the most High, abide under His shadow, trust in God, live in God, make God your habitation and God will be with you. He is the safest place for us. As you read and apply this message to your heart, God will richly bless you. Remain blessed in the LORD. Keep on reading and following the LORD, JESUS CHRIST...@fasuchem, #fasuchem, http://fasuchem.blogspot.com/, http://fasuchem.wordpress.com/, http://fasuchem.livejournal.com/, http://fasuchem.tumblr.com/, http://fasuchem.blog.com/, http://fasuchem.tblog.com/, http://my.opera.com/fasuchem/blog/, http://twitter.com/fasuchem/, http://facebook.com/fasuchem/, etc.