KEY SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”.

Today is the last day in this year. Many may be saying, God has not done this or that.  Some may even be complaining about certain losses in their lives. Others may compare themselves with others.

This is not the time for any of these.  It is a time to thank the Lord for all His goodness and abundant mercies bestowed on us. You are not alive because you were so careful. It is not your efforts of any sort. It is by the mercies of God.  God has kept your heart functioning for a whole year, and you have to be grateful. We owe Him a lot of thanks. Thank the Lord no matter how things has been. The Bible says we must give thanks to the Lord in everything for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. (1st Thessalonians 5:18).If there were some unfortunate events, God did not cause them. Satan is the cause of evil. Giving of thanks takes us out of the plans of the devil. The wish of the devil for you is not just that evil condition. His plans, is to get you bitter against God.

Please read what Satan said in Job 1:11 “But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he has and he will curse you to your face”. Satan’s intention is to break up the relationship between God and His children. If things have been bad, he wants you to curse God. Your Thanksgiving defeats the devil. Don’t let anything take away Thanksgiving from your lips.  Please spend some great deal of your time to thank the Lord.  There are a lot to be thankful about. Sing songs of praise to his name. You can add some dancing to appreciate Him the more.

This moment is also a time for prayer. In Job 38:12, 13 the Lord asked Job the following questions. “Have you commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the day spring to know his place. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it”. The beginning of a new year is the morning of it and you must command it. The day spring is the early light. Command your light to arise and shine. Command the elements in the universe to favour you.  Speak against all that operate in darkness, programming evil, to be shaken out of their evil locations, and their works ineffective against you. Ask for God’s hand upon you to cause supernatural speed in the New Year (1st Kings 18:45, 46)

This is a day for Thanksgiving and prayer. I pray for all patrons of Simple Truth. Receive divine wisdom to excel in the New Year. Happy new year to you all.

   CONFESSION

Thank you Heavenly Father for such a glorious year. It’s been a year of your love and great provisions. Thank you Father.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Colossians 1:3. “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you”,

Luke 18:1. “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:18 “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee”,

As we come to the close of a year and just about to begin a new one, there are a few things every one of us must consider so as to make the necessary changes for an improvement in our lives.

Somebody once said, it is insane to do the same things and expect a different results.. Changing for the better life is a desire of every normal individual. Everyone of must take an inventory of our lives to see what we have achieved so far. Have we been able to attain to the goals we set for the year? I believe some have made very great strides. Others might have nothing to show.

The issue is, it does not matter whether, you have achieved much or not, there is the need to make certain changes for you to attain the best. The man who did not make any significant achievements must do more to go forward in life. In our key scripture the prodigal son came to himself and made a change. He considered his life and realised he had lost so much. He had to make very drastic changes. It was a very difficult change for him to make, yet without it his life will keep going down the drain.  He had to go back to his father. This was a herculean task. The first hurdle was, would the father accept him?  How would every other person receive or even think of him? What will his elder brother do? The challenge of the long distance of walking back to his father.  Be reminded that he went from home riding on a chariot to that far country. Having to make that long distance on his bare foot could be very depressive, yet he had to made it.  He put all the supposedly negative conditions behind, and took that first step. Failure to take that step could have meant his total annihilation from the earth. (That is, death for him)

Often change is very painful. Some changes may involve making very grave sacrifices.  It may even call for breaking up certain relationship that has not been very beneficial to you.  You might have gotten so used to that individual that separating may be like dying to you. Please do make that change. The change may call for saying sorry to somebody; Do it. You may have to close up some business and start a new one all over; do it: For the sake of your health some very adorable foods must be forgotten outright; please forget them. Do make a wise decision now. Take the first step to that change and keep at it, till your life receives that needed improvement.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father I thank you for all that you have done in my life till now, I receive grace to make every necessary change in my life for a corresponding improvement in my affairs in Jesus name I have prayed.

FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Corinthians 6:17 ” Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you”,

Matthew 21:29 ” He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 3:10. “For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.”

We live in a time under a ministry that excels. The ministry of the New Testament is the Ministry of our Lord Jesus through us. This is why we are called Christians.

Moses and people under the old covenant had to obey certain laws so they could be justified. They had to circumcise and make certain blood sacrifices to be forgiven. Anyone who falls short of these laws is disqualified and condemned. I find it very unfortunate for certain people who call themselves Christians to claim they are living under the law.

In this new covenant or the New Testament our Lord Jesus according to Romans 10:4 says “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes”. Praise the Lord. Believing in Jesus automatically makes the law fulfilled in us. This does not mean we live against the law, but we receive life, or the ability to manifest the righteousness of the Law. (Romans 8:3,4).

Once again in the ministry of the New Testament we have a glory that excels because it is the very glory that our Lord Jesus Himself had (Hebrews 2:10). We have been brought into glory, the very glory of our Lord Jesus. We are the fruits out of his planting through death.

Life in the New Testament is purely by faith in Christ to express Himself through us. We demonstrate righteousness by Christ in us. We meet health challenges by the life of Christ in us. This is why we conquer every problem   that rises against us. The manifestation of power and authority over the devil is purely by His (Jesus) authority. Oh! What a life. This is a glory that excels. Now do you see that we have a more glorious ministry than that of Moses, Elijah or Elisha and so on?

Just consider what Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 “Verily I say unto you. Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist, notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. All Christians are in the kingdom of heaven (Hebrews 12:22). We are greater than all of them.

Please let us stop living ordinary lives but decide to allow Christ in us to reign and express Himself   mightily through us to the world.

 CONFESSION

I have a ministry that excels. It is the Ministry of Christ in me and through me. I am greater them every challenge, power and attack for Christ in me is my life.

FURTHER STUDIES.

1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 3:9 ” For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.”

We continue with the comparison between life and encounters in the New Testament and that of the old.

The ministration of the Old Testament or the law is called the ministration of condemnation. Some Christians pray and wish we were in the times of Moses and Elijah. Those times according to the revelation of the Holy Spirit given to Apostle Paul is called the ministration of condemnation. . Moses walked in the glory and power of God yet that glory was described as a passing glory. (1st Corinthians 3:7)

 If Moses era which manifested so much of the glory of God was called the ministration of condemnation, how much more would the ministration of righteousness be more glorious? Romans 8:1 says,” There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit”. The statement ‘who walk not after the flesh ‘ simply means those who live by faith. Living by faith is living by the word of God. The period of condemnation was the period when men lived by their works, they lived according to their self-efforts or by the flesh.

Living by the flesh, living by sight or by human reasoning places you in condemnation. No one can be justified by living according to the senses. The just shall always live by faith.(Rom 1:17) Faith in God places a man in the ministration of the Spirit or ministration  of righteousness. Righteousness is the same word for Justification in the Greek language. The life of true glory and power is never by one’s effort but by purely relying on the word of God revealed about our Lord Jesus.

Now please notice this; the word ministration also means service or servicing. It also means dispensing as a drug attendant dispenses his drugs.  In the New Testament we dispense, minister or serve by the Spirit. Everything about us should never proceed from self-effort. The life under the New Testament is counting on the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ to do all things. It means believing on the Lord Jesus, counting on what he is and has done to be ours. We live by his victory over sin. We live by his carrying away all our sicknesses to live in health. We live by his power to defeat the enemy. This is the glorious ministry of the New Testament.

 CONFESSION

I thank God for the new covenant. Now it is Christ living through me as I count on Him. This is a more glorious Ministry because it’s Christ alive in me.

 FURTHER STUDIES.

Galatians 2:20 ” I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”.

2 Corinthians 3:10 “For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 3:6 ” Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life”.

The writings of Apostle Paul keep revealing powerful truths about the Christian. 

 Our key scripture is a completion of the earlier verse which says “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; God is our sufficiency. It is He who makes us qualified for whatever he calls on us to do.  We must not in any way think or suggest that we are sufficient of ourselves. God Himself is our ABILITY. This should take away every pride from our hearts. We must never feel incapable of handling any situation.

 In the light of what he said in verse five, He says we have been made able ministers of the New Testament .He exposes that the New Testament is of the Spirit while the Old Testament is the letter. To say the Old Testament is of the letter means the Old Testament has no spiritual provisions that enables us to do what it says.  In verse 6 the scripture says the letter kills. Why the law does kills? The law or the letter gives us instructions, demands and commands but provides no life or ability to fulfil them. Everyone under the law is helpless and in bondage.

Romans 8:3a states the following “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh…..”. Man because of the fall has sin in his flesh that makes him incapable to do what the law says. Under the New Testament we have the ministry of the Spirit and not the letter. Man under the New Testament is not left at the mercy of the law but has the support of the Spirit which gives us life to do what it tells us.

In verse 7 the Bible calls the law the ministration of death. This ministration of death is what came on the face of Moses shining such that the children of Israel could not look on the face of Moses. . (Exodus 34:29-30). The scripture added that this glory was done away. The ministration of the Spirit is indeed more glorious. We have a glorious ministry than Moses had.

Our study teaches that Christians have been specially endowed with Grace and made capable to live by the ability of the Spirit so we would be able to bring glory to our heavenly father.

 CONFESSION

Thank God for this great life. I have received the ability of the Spirit to live a higher life bringing the glory, power and praise of my heavenly father into reality in the midst of men.

FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Corinthians 3:7″  But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:”

2 Corinthians 3:9.  For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

God is faithful and would not forget the labour of every helper. The role of a helper always calls for sacrifices often without any physical rewards. Many are tempted to give up.

There has been instances that some helpers have been dishonoured, mistreated or despised. This may cause a helper to become bitter and decide to stop his activities. Dear brother or sister who have been of help to the body of Christ, or a man of God under whom you have served yet you’ve being maligned, mistreated or despised. Understand you are not serving a man, but you are serving our Lord Jesus Christ. The church is the body of Christ (1st Corinthians 12:27). Anything you do for the church is done for the Lord Jesus.

Our key scripture says God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have showed towards his name, in that ye served the saints. God is a rewarder. Nobody does a kind deed for God that He (God) does not reward. When the Lord used Peter’s boat, He asked them to cast their net for a drought. Although they had failed to catch any fish earlier, Peter obeyed and caught so much fish that, their partners had to come help them draw the catch. This even caused their net to break.

In 1st Corinthians 15:58 apostle Paul exhorts as follows, “Therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord”. Dear helper in the house of God, your labour is never going to be in vain. God would reward your great sacrifices. Never lose sight of your rewards. Now note this: there are two phases of God’s rewards. There is the reward you receive here on this earth and there is the reward you receive in heaven. In Mark 10:9-10 the Lord Jesus taught His disciples that anyone who sacrifices his life to serve him shall receive a hundred fold of all that, he or she have forsaken, including brothers and sisters with persecution. God does not wait till you get to heaven before you are rewarded. He will certainly “pay” you here in your life time and then in heaven.

CONFESSION

I would never give up on any good work I am doing for the Lord. God is a rewarder of all those who would diligently seek Him. I would certainly have my reward here in this life as well as the world to come.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Hebrews 11:6 ” But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”.

Mark 10:30 “But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 2:14  “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”

Many have said and even sang songs that says Jesus is the reason for Christmas. This is right. What is Christmas? Christmas is celebrating the birth of our Jesus Christ, yet the real issue is, why did Jesus come in the first place? It   is therefore then, the reason for His coming that brought Christmas to pass.

The Bible gives us a number of reasons for Jesus coming. Our key scripture had something amazing to tell us. Hebrews 2:14 “For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.” The Bible teaches that because Adam sinned, death reigned over him and it passed on to every man born into this life (Rom 5:12). For men to be free from the power of death a man should die for all men and by His death overpower the devil. This is the reason Jesus became a man. Remember the Bible said Jesus is God according to John 1:1 and Philippians 2:5,6. If he had overpowered Satan as God, it would not be legal for men to claim liberty from Satan, because it would not have been men over powering Satan. He therefore had to become a man so his victory over the devil was men victory over him (Satan)

In Revelations 1:18, the Lord said “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death”. Jesus through death seized the key or authority of death and hell from Satan’s hands: for all this to be possible he first had to become a man.

Another reason for Christmas or His coming is stated in John 10:10.  He said “The thief does not come, but when he comes, he comes to steal, kill and to destroy, but I am come that they might have life and have it to overflow”: He became a man so he could one day die for all men releasing His life for all men to experience life in abundance. Jesus has given His life for all mankind. Have you received this abundant life?                                           

The next reason is in 1st John 3:8, 9. He came into this life, that He might destroy all the works of the devil. This was another reason for his birth. The truth is He has already conquered for every mankind all these we see that His main reason for coming is to liberate all men.

 The true reason for Christmas is to celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ for liberating us from Satan’s power.

CONFESSION

Thank God for giving Jesus for us. Because He came I am free from the power of death. I have an abundant Life, and Satan works cannot dominate me any longer. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDIES.

Galatians 1:4 ” Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”

 Romans 5:17″  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 12:28 ” And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues”.

The ministry of helps is a very important aspect of the church of God. The Apostle Paul spoke about the household of Stephanus in 1st Corinthians 16:15 “I beseech you brethren (ye know the house of Stephanus, that it is the first fruits of Achaia and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints”. These brethren were given over to helping the saints. They showed hospitality to the saints, providing for their needs and also they attended and assisted the Apostles in their journeys. These brethren simply helpers of the church.

A lot would be achieved in the body of Christ if there were many of the children of God who would addict themselves to serving the body of Christ as the household of Stephanus did.. In Luke 8:3 the Bible spoke about certain women who used their substances or money to support the ministry of our Lord Jesus. The Lord had to take care of all the disciples including their wives and children. He therefore needed to be supported by others. In the ministry of helps brethren who are financially blessed play a great part. In Acts 4:36 we learn about Joses who was surnamed. Barnabas by the apostles. He was a great man who supported many. His name Barnabas meant the son of consolation. He was the one who stood by Apostle Paul in the early days and years of his conversion. Most of the brethren were afraid of him yet in Acts 9:27 the Bible said “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him…..” Indeed Barnabas was of great strength to him.

. This ministry of helps is an aspect that many children of God can play a part to make the body of Christ stronger. Praying for one another, looking out for needs in the life of fellow brethren and those outside the church are all part of this ministry of helps.. In Acts 9:25 some Jews waited at the city gate to attack and kill Paul. But some brethren put him in a basket and let him down over the city wall to save his life.

The brethren who helped Apostle Paul to escape, did not know they were saving the life of a man who would write about a half of the New Testament message.

CONFESSION

Father I commit my life to lifting, blessing and supporting all in various challenges and difficulties so they may fulfill their call mandate

FURTHER STUDIES.

Acts 9:25.  Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket”.

Luke 8:3.  And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 12:28 ” And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues”.

We now look at the ministry of helps. The New Testament is filled with many examples about the ministry of helps. The word “helps” in Acts 27:17 speaks of the rope-like cable that sailors used to wrap around the ship during a storm. This is a supporting ministry. The ministry of helps is what God wraps around us to hold us together in our stormy times.

The Bible mentioned seven people who ministered in this area of helps. For example, there is Phebe, in Romans 16:1-2 Paul said “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church, that ye receive her in the Lord, for she has been a securer (helper) of many and of myself also”. Phebe was a helper. She carried the book of Romans to Rome for Paul at his request. Though she was not a preacher Phebe helped to spread the gospel.

Lydia was another helper who supported Paul. We find in Acts 16:14-15, “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us”.

 She provided lodging in her house in Philippi for Paul and his group.

In Exodus 17:8-12, Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands during a battle. The victory of the Israelites depended on whether Moses hands was up or not. These men supported his hands which was getting tired to remain up. This made Israel win the battle.

Every man of God needs helpers to help him to succeed. Our Lord needed helpers who provided things like a place for his last supper, the Colt he rode on to Jerusalem, and even Joseph of Arimathea who gave him his tomb when he died.

These helpers normally make great sacrifices for most men of God. It may surprise some of us to know that in heaven some of these helpers would receive greater rewards than some of these men of God. Why would this happen? The truth is that a number of these helpers are so faithful and make more sacrifices than the man of God. It would therefore be just right that God who sees more than the human eye sees would definitely reward them more than the man under whom they served.

Let everyone play his role to the best of his or her abilities.

PRAYER

Lord I pray for all helpers who make various level of sacrifices to help God’s work move on very well. May you strengthen them to fulfill their services on earth.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Exodus 17:12  But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

John 19:38 ” And after this Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy 3:8 ” Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;”

We would consider the qualifications of a deacon into detail. 1st Timothy 3:8-9 reads “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”

The deacon must be grave. This means they should act honourably or be honest in all their dealings. They should be men and women of strong conviction about the importance of leading an upright life.

The next virtue is that, they must not be double tongued. This means they must say the same thing at all times. They should not call a thing ‘.A’ today in the presence of Mr. D and at another time in the presence of Mr. F he says it is B. This is not a trustworthy individual. It is the character trait of a serpent. He must always speak the truth

The third qualification is that they must not be given to much wine. In the qualifications of a bishop or an Elder the Bible said he must not be given to wine. The qualifications of a bishop or pastor are no different from that of a deacon. It therefore holds that the deacon must likewise not be given to wine. In Leviticus 10:9 the Jewish minister were not to take wine in the service of God. Why should it then be anymore proper for a Christian minister to drink wine than for a Jewish priest to stay away?. Shall a minister of the gospel be less holy than the Jewish minister?

The next was that he should not be greedy of filthy lucre. He should not be greedy about money. The deacon by virtue of their functions,  are the ones who normally handle church monies, and therefore it is just right that they are people who are not greedy about money. Judas one of the disciple of our Lord Jesus betrayed his master because of the greed for money.

He must also hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. This means he must be sincere about the teachings of the bible. 2nd Corinthians 4:2 informs us that the Apostle Paul renounced all hidden things of dishonesty and as a result, did not walk in craftiness.

   PRAYER

Father I pray for all deacons, who serve in your house. May they be committed to you and discharge their roles to honour your name in Jesus name I have prayed.

FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Corinthians 4:2 ” But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God”.

1 Timothy 3:10. “And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless”.