Tag Archives: Jesus

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves

Fruits of Humility

An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.

Proverbs 18:1

We have become a culture absorbed with self. Self-fulfillment and self-satisfaction, self-esteem and self-actualization are the battle cries of our day.

We use these cries to justify a multitude of sins. The sick, elderly, unwanted and disabled are easy to ignore in our quest for “self,” yet these are the very people Jesus reached out to. Philippians 2:3 tells us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

The focus should not be on ourselves, but on Christ, who is the ultimate example of humility. The God of the universe came down to earth and humbled Himself by becoming subject to all the things human beings experience-fear, hunger, weariness.

In John 13:5, He even washes the feet of His disciples: “After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” Follow His example of humility today. Ask Him to guide you in living a life that honors Him.

Further Reading

•James 3:14

•James 3:16

•Psalms 119:36

God Bless,

Related articles

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1

One of my new friends is a mom whose 21-year-old daughter died suddenly in 2009, which sent her reeling. She told me, “I feel like an outcast from the normal world. I feel crushed and my soul is in so much pain.”

Indeed the losses that visit us can knock us off our feet—whether a death in the family, a child who walks away from God and family, or a physical or mental setback.

Yet what I’ve discovered is something musician Jeremy Camp made clear in a song he wrote after the death of his wife in 2001: When you are knocked off your feet by life’s difficulties, remember that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). That’s reason enough to get back up again. Camp described his struggle in the song called “Understand.” He asked, “Why don’t I get back on my feet again?” And he recognized that he could because “I know You understand it all.”

When trouble knocks us down, we can look up. God is there. He understands and cares. It’s not easy, but we can trust Him to help us get back on our feet again. —Dave Branon

Lift up your eyes, despairing one,
The Lord your help will be;
You have a friend in heaven who cheers,
And calms the troubled sea. —Anon.

There is no place where earth’s sorrows are felt more than in heaven.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

Forgiven people forgive people

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4

Jesus says—Give the grace you’ve been given!

Romans 2:4 says God is kind to you so you will change your hearts and lives.

We’re not to be like the unchanged wife. Before her conversion to Christ, she endlessly nagged, picked on, and berated her husband. When she became a Christian, nothing changed. One might question if she was truly born again to start with.

Forgiven people will forgive others. And they’ll be grateful—because gratitude is the joy of the forgiven servant.

We all choose what lives inside us.

Make it a day changer! Choose forgiveness!

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

Hallelujah! We now live in a time when all our debts to God have been cancelled and all the things the devil stole from us have been returned

Posted on by
24

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

Hallelujah! We now live in a time when all our debts to God have been cancelled and all the things the devil stole from us have been returned.

OUR DEBTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED

Luke 4:19, “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

LUKE 4:16-30

This scripture had been written prophetically by the prophet Isaiah about 650 years prior to this time. It was read in Jewish synagogues thousands of times. But the one this verse was speaking of had never spoken it before. With this pronouncement, Jesus began the year of Jubilee.

The Year of Jubilee was described in Leviticus 25. It was a year when everyone left their fields unworked and kept a sabbath unto the Lord. The Lord gave the people a miraculous provision the year before this jubilee started that sustained them for three years until their crops could once again be harvested.

This jubilee was different than the other sabbatical years in that every debt was cancelled. All property was returned to its original owner and anyone who had been sold into slavery was set free. It was a year of new beginnings.

Jesus proclaimed a spiritual jubilee. We now live in a time when all our debts to God have been cancelled and all the things the devil stole from us have been returned. Even our slavery to the devil has come to an end through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a time for rejoicing.

Jesus is our jubilee.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. —Philippians 4:11

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

I have learned in  whatever state I am, to be content. —Philippians 4:11Now that my   daughter is learning to talk, she has adopted a favorite word: more.   She will say “more” and point to toast with jam. She held out her palm and   said “More!” when my husband gave her some coins for her piggy bank. She even   exclaimed, “More Daddy!” one morning after her father left for work.

Like my little   one, many of us look around and call for “more.” Unfortunately, enough is   never enough. We need the power of Christ to break the cycle so that we can say   with Paul, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Phil.   4:11).

The phrase “I   have learned” tells me that Paul did not meet every situation with a smile.   Learning contentment required practice. His testimony included ups and downs   ranging from snake bites to soul-saving; false accusations to founding   churches. Yet he claimed that Jesus was the answer to soul-level   satisfaction. He said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens   me” (v.13). Jesus had given him the spiritual muscle to endure lean times and   to avoid the pitfalls of abundance.

If you find   yourself angling for “more, more, more,” remember that contentment comes when   you have “more” of Christ. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Fret not for want   of earthly things;
They’ll never satisfy.
The secret of contentment is
To let the Lord supply. —D. De Haan

True contentment is not dependent on anything in this world.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

God wants it to be by grace, not by works, by grace through faith

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

God wants it to be by grace, not by works, by grace through faith

Proverbs 4:13 says: “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

In this passage of scripture we see that we must hold onto instruction because the devil is constantly trying to divert it from us. We know that the instruction of the Lord leads to life and it more abundantly.

As God desires us to hold onto His ways, the devil is trying to bring things to us in ways that look like they are right, but they are wrong. I want to encourage you today to look at the things that God has told you from the scriptures. When you begin to see what God has done and what His instruction is, you have to protect it. This is what creates an environment of obedience and humility. If you will do it, you will see God get involved, and He will pour out grace without measure so that your life will be changed forever. God wants it to be by grace, not by works, by grace through faith. He wants to do a lot for you, so you must keep the way He instructs you to live, and you must do the things He has written on your heart. It’s time to keep them, protect them, and establish an environment of humility and obedience where you will eat of the fat of the land and see the grace of God.

Hold onto instruction!

Pastor Peter Doseck
http://www.peterdoseck.com

P.S.

Please pray for me in Nigeria! We expect to win ONE MILLION SOULS during this historic crusade, and I would count it a privilege if you would sow of your precious resources to help us preach the gospel with signs following to the wonderful people of Nigeria. Details are available at peterdoseck.com. I thank you for all you do for the Kingdom!

Join us for our next Outpour Miracle Service on Sunday, March 4 at 6:30 pm. Come with a friend, and watch God do healings and miracles just for you! He never fails to amaze us. We’ll see you there!

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

The word of God brings healing & health to your body!

Posted on by
17

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

The word of God brings healing & health to your body!

Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.”

The truth is that the Word of God will bring healing and health to your body. Live it, apply it and you will find that it is the very life source of an abundant and fulfilled life. It will bring health to your flesh!

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

God’s Word has no limits.

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

God’s Word has no limits.

John 4:50, “Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”

JOHN 4:46-54

Jesus didn’t have to touch the child. He didn’t have to send anything home with the father to affect the cure. All He did was speak and the son was instantly healed (v. 53).

This man had traveled over fifteen miles from Capernaum to Cana to find Jesus. Therefore, the son was not within ‘earshot” so that Jesus’ words sparked some cord of hope in his heart, thereby releasing God’s power. No, Jesus’ spoken word had so much power that no barriers (such as time or space) had any affect on it whatsoever.

This is hard for us to comprehend. We spend an entire lifetime learning physical limitations and adapting to them. But there are no limits to the power of God’s word. Jesus created everything in this physical universe by His words, and that creation will respond to anything He says.

The Lord gave His Word to the Jews but they didn’t believe it. Hebrews 4:2 says, “…the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].” We have been given God’s words too, in the Bible. If we will speak God’s Word in faith, we will get the same results that Jesus did here.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up

 

Benefits of good friendship.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. —Ecclesiastes 4:9

Cicero was one of the greatest thinkers of the Roman Empire. He was a skilled orator, lawyer, politician, linguist, and writer. Still today he is quoted for his clear prose and practical wisdom.

For instance, of having friends he wrote: “Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.” He understood the double benefits of friendship along life’s journey.

Nearly a millennium earlier, King Solomon had written about the value of friends as well. In Ecclesiastes we read, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (4:9-10). Certainly a life without friends makes our sojourn lonely and hard to bear.

That famous Roman and that Jewish king were right: Friends are important. Friends serve as confidants, counsellors, and burden-sharers.

Think about your friends. Have you been neglecting those God has provided to share your joys and sorrows? If so, seek out one of your friends for fellowship this week. Remember, “two are better than one,” because a friend can double our joy and divide our grief. —Dennis Fisher

A friend is “trust,” a friend is “warmth,”
A friend is “always there”
To add to every happiness,
To lessen every care. —Anon.

Friends are flowers in the garden of life.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles
  • We’ve got a friend (johnjohnsonsgranddaughter.wordpress.com)
  • Thursday, December 1, 2011 @ Ecclesiastes 11-12 (phyllisbenigas.wordpress.com)

Trusting and relying on God’s Word

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

Trust and Rely on God‘s Word

James 1:6,7 “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Being double minded means that the mind of your flesh is trying to divert your Spirit mind away from what God is saying. Yes, you have two minds and depending on which one you feed the most, will determine which one has the greatest influence. You have to be lead by the Spirit, trusting and relying on God’s word if you want to see the promises of God manifest in your life.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Spiritual food.

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Spiritual food.

John 4:32, “But he saith unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.”

JOHN 4:27-46

Food is essential for life. Without it we couldn’t grow. We get strength and vitality from food. Yet food can kill us. Improper diets kill more people than any disease.

Our soul needs nourishment too. The things we think on and the desires that we have are food to our souls. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Mat. 4:4).

Jesus valued spiritual nourishment more than He valued physical nourishment. He was thrilled to see this woman and the people of this town respond to His gift of salvation. Likewise, we should set our desires on the things of God so that spiritual matters are more important to us than our physical food.

The wrong diet for our souls is the leading cause of failure and depression in Christians. Being spiritually minded produces life and peace. Being carnally minded produces death (Rom. 8:6).

In our health conscious society, many of us wouldn’t dream of abusing our bodies with bad diets. Yet in our spiritual life, we are killing ourselves by feeding on the wrong things. Treat yourself to a healthy spiritual meal today.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

Cast you burden upon Jesus for He cares for you

Posted on by
Reply

The Lord is my Good Shepherd

Image via Wikipedia

Cast you burden upon Jesus for He cares for you

Psalm 55:4-22

Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. —Psalm 55:6

David sighed, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest” (Ps. 55:6). As for me, I’d build a cabin in the Sawtooths, or take a permanent post in a fire-lookout tower. When life weighs on me, I too yearn to fly away and be at rest.

David wrote freely about his circumstances: Violence, oppression, and strife surrounded him on all sides, stirred up by the disloyalty of an old friend (55:8-14). Fear and terror, pain and trembling, anxiety and restlessness overwhelmed him (vv.4-5). Is it any wonder he longed to fly away?

But escape was impossible. He could not evade his lot. He could only give his circumstances to God: “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice” (vv.16-17).

Whatever our circumstances—a burdensome ministry, a difficult marriage, joblessness, or a deep loneliness—we can give them to God. He has lifted the burden of our sins; will He not lift the weight of our sorrows? We have trusted Him with our eternal souls; can we not entrust our present circumstances to Him? “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you” (55:22). —David Roper

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by. —Oatman

Related articles

The path of the just is like the shining sun. That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

The path of the just is like the shining sun. That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day

 Shine Brighter for Christ.

Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is like the shining sun. That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”

You are the righteousness of God; or in other words, you are the showpiece of God’s saving grace and His forgiveness on this earth. As you seek God and allow Him to take control of every facet of your life you will find that your life shines brighter and brighter and God will use you more and more to change and impact other people’s lives, in Jesus Christ Name! Amen!

Related articles

You are fearfully and wonderfully made

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

You are fearfully and wonderfully made

You are unique!

You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Do you know that there is something unique about you? There is something special in you that will make the world regard you. No matter how poor, neglected or downtrodden you are, you have what it takes to be at the top.

The tendency is for people to look down on you. They will evaluate you based on their yardsticks and write you off. They will say you can never make it to the top. They will say you can never make it in life. Don’t believe their lies! Whenever somebody or a situation tells you that you are less than who God says you are, then return to God’s word and verify, for the picture of who you are is in the Bible. Anything that fall short of that picture must be rejected; such is not your portion. Always believe and confess what God has spoken concerning you.

You are a bundle of solution! You are a solution to your world! Believe it or not, like Moses, there is a problem that only you can solve. There is a gap that only you can fill; you are indeed unique.

To discover and fulfil your purpose on earth, you need to have a personal relationship with the one who has a blueprint for your life – The Lord Jesus Christ.

Give your life to Jesus by confessing your sins to God. He will forgive all your sins and wash you clean with the Blood of Jesus Christ. Accept Him as your Personal Lord and Saviour, forsake all other things. Study His Word and live by it. Pray regularly, asking for His direction in all your ways. If you have given your life to Christ by taking the steps above, then CONGRATULATIONS!  Never think about the negative impression people have about you. YOU ARE UNIQUE! You shall succeed in life in Jesus Christ Name! Amen!

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Related articles

When I Need to Stand Strong in Times of Weakness. Prayer.

Posted on by
5

English: Court of the Polish Lord during the j...

Image via Wikipedia

Dear Heavenly Father! I wait on You because You are my Lord and I trust that You know the very best time to fulfill Your promises to me. I depend on You at all times, but especially when I feel weak in the face of unanswered prayers and postponed dreams. Give me the faith and patience I need to rest in Your timing. You are my strength, and I ask that You would enable me to be strong and whole in my mind, body, and soul as I wait on You to move on my behalf.

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!

Psalm 27:14

Related articles

God is spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

John 4:24, “God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.”

JOHN 4:4-26

Man dwells primarily in the physical and emotional realm, but God is a Spirit (1 Sam. 16:7). To have true fellowship with God, we have to relate to God on the spiritual level.

In order to make this possible, God changed our spirit. At salvation, our spirit became totally new (11 Cor. 5:17). It is now righteous and truly holy (Eph. 4:24). It is now exactly the way Jesus is, because our born again spirit is the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 4:17; 1 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 4:6).

In our spirits we are worthy to come before God and worship Him without any fear. Our spirit is the only part of us that is worthy. That’s why we must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

When we come before God dwelling on all our failures and problems, we are not approaching Him through our spirit. Our spirit is not our problem. Our born again spirit is perfect.

There is a place for mentioning our problems and failures but it’s not the part of us that has been saved and is in fellowship with God. We must always base our relationship with the Father on who we are in our spirit through Christ Jesus.

Related articles

God looks inside of us

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

John 4:19, “The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.”

JOHN 4:4-26

This didn’t take any great discernment on the woman’s part. Jesus had just “read her mail”. He told her the most intimate details of her life. Anyone could have perceived Jesus was a prophet after something like that.

This woman suddenly realized that she was dealing with more than just a man. God was speaking to her. What was her reaction? She changed the subject. She brought up a doctrinal issue concerning the proper place to worship–anything to get Jesus’ attention off of her.

We all have a tendency to build walls of privacy around the intimate details of our lives. We are afraid to let anyone, especially God, look inside. But God already knows and He wants all of our heart.

Jesus brought this woman right back to the subject of her personal relationship with God. The place of worship or the forms of worship weren’t important. God was looking for people who would open their hearts–even the hidden parts–for Him to inhabit.

Likewise today, Satan tries to get us occupied with everything except the one thing that counts. God wants us to worship Him in spirit and truth. Anything less than that is not enough

Related articles

Thirsty? But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

THIRSTY?  But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst

John 4:14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

JOHN 4:4-26

Jesus painted a beautiful picture of salvation in this passage. The salvation Jesus brings is like an artesian spring which doesn’t have to be pumped. It bubbles up constantly.

Unfortunately, not every Christian‘s experience matches Jesus’ description. Many people relate more to an old pump which has to be pumped and pumped. Just as a trickle of water comes, they have to rest. They lose their prime. The water stops. Then they have to start all over again.

Yet, Jesus said we would never thirst again. This doesn’t mean that one drink satisfies us forever. But, as we continue to avail ourselves of this water of life daily, we will be constantly refreshed. The well of His life is there, but we must partake.

The dryness in a Christian’s life comes when we substitute other things for the living water that only Jesus can give. Anytime a Christian begins to thirst again, it is not a reflection on the living water that Jesus gives, but rather an indication that we have been drinking from some other source.

“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).

Related articles

Experience the Fullness of God’s Goodness. Wisdom is the principal thing

Posted on by
Reply

English: Wisdom of God, Buckland Road. A grade...

Image via Wikipedia

Proverbs 4:5,6,7 “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”

The wisdom of God is one of the most important principles that need to be in every Christian‘s life. Solomon says in this piece of scripture that while man is busy with so many things, by far the most important is to acquire the wisdom of God. It will change your life and empower you to experiencing the fullness of God’s goodness.

Related articles

Are you a giver

Posted on by
Reply

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

Image via Wikipedia

Proverbs 3:27-28 (AMP) “27 Withhold not good from those to whom it is due [its rightful owners], when it is in the power of your hand to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it–when you have it with you.”

Jesus said that one day everyone will stand before Him and have to give an account of the good they done while here on earth. As a matter of fact He said that many will say on that day that they done great works in His name; driving out demons and healing the sick, but they did not care for others in need. When the fire of God is burning in your heart, you will be compelled to give and share with others. Amen!

Related articles