Thoughts of Our Fathers (TOF)

READ: Exodus 34:1-9

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
Psalm 145:18

Set a regular time when you meet God. It is very important that you set a regular time for your quiet time. Life is such that important things are often overlooked. If you do not schedule a constant period for a quiet time, I assure you that you will leave it out. The best time for a quiet time is first thing in the morning.

Notice that Moses had his quiet time in the morning.

A quiet time is an intimate time between you and your God. It is a private moment that you must cherish. You will notice that Moses could not have his quiet time in the presence of others. A quiet time is a time when you are alone with God. You cannot develop a personal relationship with someone unless you are alone with the person. It must be possible to withdraw yourself from the company of others so that you can be alone with God.

During your quiet time, it is helpful to create an atmosphere that is conducive for fellowship with God. You can do this by playing good worship music in the background. If you do not have any such music you can worship the Lord yourself. As you worship the Lord, the presence of the Lord will fill your room. God inhabits praises. There is an atmosphere in which God's presence thrives.

If you can afford it, you must create for yourself a private place in your home where you go to pray and meet with God.

Matthew 25:29

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

Have you come across people who have little, yet even that little is taken away from them? On the other hand, there are those who already have much, yet they receive even more.

Jesus said, “To everyone who has, more will be given. From him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t go on to say what it is we have. He simply says, “But to everyone who has.”

Jesus is talking about a firm belief in God’s Word that gives one the courage to say, “I have it!” If you say that you have it, you have it, and more will be given to you. But if you say that you don’t have it, when you actually do because God has freely given us all things (Romans 8:32), then even what you have will be taken away—not by God but by the devil! The devil does not want you to walk in God’s blessings. So when you say that you don’t have it, he can rob you of your blessings because he has your agreement!

When you need something, God says that you are to ask of Him. And when you ask, believe that you receive it. (Mark 11:24) Say you already have it even if you don’t see it in the physical realm yet, and one day, you will see it!

God is not saying, “Oh come on, pretend that you see it. And if you pretend long enough, you will have it.” This is not a game! God is telling us to call forth those things which don’t exist as though they do. (Romans 4:17)

Today, we are talking about the haves and have-nots in the church. If you believe that it is yours, you will have it. You will see yourself possessing it and enjoying it, and more will be given to you. But if you say, “Well, I don’t feel it and I’m not sure if it will come,” in essence, you are saying that you don’t have it when you actually do. Then, even what you have will be taken away. So say you have it today!

Never give up.

Many people look back at their time in high school as the best years of their lives. It should be a time for fun, friends, and for discovering who you are.

While teenage life holds so much potential, for Liyjon DeSilva, his teenage years only offered uncertainty.

Orphaned at the age five, Liyjon spent his childhood passed between different relatives until he was eventually turned away and left with no other option. As a homeless teen, it could have been easy for Liyjon to slip into the convenient vices of crime and drugs, but he wanted more for himself.



Instead of falling into a life of crime, Liyjon threw himself into his academics, going to class during the day and spending his nights sleeping in public parks. “I have a chance, why not just keep going?”Liyjon shared and it was that thought which kept him going during his most challenging times.

He spent 3 years living this way, making the best out of his dismal situation, before educators at his school noticed and reached out a helping hand.

Liyjon’s principle and several teachers became involved in assuring his well being, setting Liyjon up with housing and assistance. The adults in his life stepped up in order to give him support and guidance, the kind Liyjon had been lacking without a family for so long.




That extra push gave was a great motivator that helped focus Liyjon’s studies. At the age of 20, Liyjon graduated in the top 5% of his class. Not only that, he also received a full scholarship to Carleton College thanks to his hard work and a nomination for the Posse Scholarship.



We can never allow the circumstances we find ourselves in to define the direction of our lives. If we do, we may never achieve our true destinies. Like Liyjon, we have to work towards our better selves no matter the struggles we face.

The optimism and boundless potential Liyjon missed out on as a teenager now fills up the future he worked so hard for. And that future looks brighter than ever.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS FOR THIS WEEK!!!

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith . . .

—Ephesians 3:17

Experts have told us that society is sick. Their solutions have treated human frailty with infusions of low-income housing, welfare payments, integrated education, and psychological conditioning. But we are learning that this is not the total answer. The world does need changing, society needs changing, the nation needs changing, but we never will change it until we ourselves are changed. And we never will change until we look into the mirror of our own soul and face with candor what we are inside. Then freely acknowledge that there is a defect in human nature, a built-in waywardness that comes from man’s natural rebellion against God. I am not preaching now, just trying to give you an understanding of what makes you tick. But I also expect to show you that, in the end, you can find your answers only in a personal relationship with God.

Memorise: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28

Read: Genesis 1:26-30 (KJV)

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.


28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.


30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.




Bible in one year: Genesis 42-43, Isaiah 55, Hymn: Sing hymn 10
MESSAGE:



God’s voice is so powerful that it can bring about abundant increase. When He speaks in a situation of lack and acute shortage, whatever is responsible for that anomaly is arrested and there is bountiful provision. An example of this can be seen in the lives of the children of Israel. In Genesis 46:26-27, we read that all the people that Israel brought with him into Egypt including Joseph and his family were 70. However, when they were leaving Egypt, the men alone were numbered at 600,000 (Exodus 12:37). In fact, the Israelites’ rate of multiplication in Egypt was so raid that it became a source of worry to the Egyptians (Exodus 1:7-10). Sometimes, we think that such miracles can only occur in Bible times. By the grace of God, in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, we have seen God’s faithfulness demonstrated in the area of multiplication. In 1952, the Church started with about 12 people. By the time I became the general overseer in 1981, we had only 40 parishes including the headquarters. The convention we had in 1980 had a little over 600 people in attendance, yet we thought that was quite large. Today, through the grace of the Almighty God, this same Church has spread to over 174 nations of the world! Why? It is simply because there is a God who can speak from Heaven to make something little increase abundantly. This shall be your portion today in Jesus’ Name!


A blessing summons all the forces in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth to help an individual to succeed. To bless someone, you have to open your mouth to declare it. When God blesses you, all the angels of God will assist you, and even demons will fight one another to clear the way for you. In Genesis 48:8-20, Joseph, while visiting his father Jacob with his two sons, carefully guided his father to rest his right hand on the head of the elder son, Manasseh, and to rest his left hand on Ephraim the younger. At this time, Jacob was old and sick, and could no longer see. When Jacob crossed his hands over the two boys, Joseph protested but Jacob insisted, saying the younger will be greater than the elder, and then he blessed them. Within a short period of time, the younger son had become 10 times more blessed than his elder brother (Deuteronomy 33:17). This is what the declaration of a divine blessing can do in the life of a person. Ask God to declare His blessings on you. You can also seek the declaration of blessings from a father that is connected to God.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 14:21

There's a dimension of living you can only experience when you make a decision to please the Father in every activity of your life. In that dimension, Jesus becomes real to you and manifests Himself to you.

Just after the turn of the 20th century, God poured out His Spirit and started a revival on Azusa Street. It was an awesome time, a time when people's entire lives were turned inside out. Everything else in their world seemed to lose importance. Supernatural things were happening. God was manifesting Himself in their presence.

The people involved in that revival soon began to be known to the world as "holiness" people. They got that title because they were so obviously different from everyone else. They would let go of anything they thought didn't please God. They were so caught up in the power of the spiritual realm, they lost interest in natural things.

Few believers today even know what "holiness" means. Even fewer understand the outpouring of God that comes to those who dare to step into it.

Holiness simply means "separated to God." It's what you do with your life day by day. It's ordering your conduct according to the Word of God and the promptings of the Spirit. Holiness is the habit of being one mind with God, of turning away from the ways of the world and living instead in agreement with Him. Holiness doesn't happen to anyone by accident. It requires a decision of the will. Make that decision today.

Love God with all your heart by keeping His commandments. He'll show His love to you by manifesting Himself to you in powerful new ways. He'll pour Himself out on you just like He did on those believers at Azusa Street—and revival will truly begin in you.


Scripture Reading:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Don't let the fear of rejection keep you out of the game.

We have all heard the success stories of Oprah, Bill Gates, JK Rowling, Michael Jordan, Madonna and a host of other celebrities or public figures who have sold millions over the last few years. It is a given that each one of these individuals all have success in common but did you know they also share one other common denominator?

Rejection.

- Oprah was fired from her job in television.

- Bill Gates was rejected by IBM.

- JK Rowling was denied by several book publishers.

- Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team and Madonna was rejected by a movie producer.

How you handle rejection has the power to determine your destiny. Each one of these individuals could have chosen to live in defeat after their rejections; however, they chose to do what very few people do. They chose to keep going because they realized that if the worst had already happen, only the best was yet to come.

Want to learn how you can turn your rejection into a life changing experience?

Here are 5 ways you can use rejection to propel you to your destiny:

Hebrews 8:12

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

We are no longer under the old covenant. We are now under the new covenant. And in this new covenant, God says that He will do three things for us:

Lead us—“I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts.” (Hebrews 8:10) These are the laws of faith, love and liberty to guide you in everything you do. It is a spontaneous, dynamic, active and intimate way to be led by God.

Work miracles for us—“I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Hebrews 8:10) The phrase “I will be their God” denotes a miracle-working God. So if you are sick and God says, “I will be your God,” get ready for healing! If you are poor and God says, “I will be your God,” get ready for His supply!

Cause us to know Him effortlessly—“… all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.” (Hebrews 8:11) The Greek word for “know” here is eido. It means to know intuitively without effort. This means that you will know God easily.

Do you want to experience all these blessings in your life today?

“Of course, Pastor Prince, I want to be led by God. I want Him to work miracles in my life. I want to know Him intimately without straining or striving.”

Then, you need to know the clause that makes it all happen: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” The words “no more” in the Greek carry a strong double-negative sense. So God is saying, “I will never, by no means, remember your sins!”

Beloved, the more you believe this in your heart, the more you will see those blessings fulfilled in your life. When you realize how much God has forgiven you and remembers your sins no more, you will know Him, His ways and His will for you intimately and intuitively without effort.

So believe in your heart today the clause on which all these blessings hinge, and get ready for miracles and hopes fulfilled in the days ahead!

READ: Ruth 1:1-22

…It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband…
Ruth 2:11

The Bible admonishes a spouse to honour his/her parents or parent figures and you must do the same (Ephesians 6:3).

Your in-laws are like adopted parents to you. You must try to love them unconditionally as we are admonished to do in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, even when you think they don't like you.

Do not complain about your spouse to your parents. Do not allow your parents to develop a habit of saying bad things about your spouse to you directly or indirectly. You are one. Let love cover the multitude of your partner's faults and seek pastoral counsel when you need help (Proverbs 10:12).

Know that your in-laws can do unacceptable things just like your parents. The difference is that you may not be able to tell your in-law your real sentiments without stirring up trouble; so learn to overlook certain things. Be yourself with your inlaws as far as you are not offensive.

Try not to discriminate between parents as to upkeep. Recognize the reality that not all sets of parents have the same needs, so do not try to make their needs identical. For example, one parent may need remittances but the other may need to be given gifts on birthdays and other special occasions. Usually, the woman may prompt the husband on care for the home. He should provide these needs with love (1 Timothy 5:8).

Your in-laws can pronounce a blessing on you depending on how you treat them. Ruth received an additional blessing.