PARTAKER

"Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Colossians 1:12 ASV

What a marvelous statement. This verse is rich with encouraging information for the believer in Christ. Reading our text scripture, it didn't say you are going to be a partaker, no! It says you are already a partaker. God wants you to know that you are already a "Part" and a "Taker" of the inheritance. Other translations of the Bible puts it that you are a participator, a sharer, a partner and a party to the inheritance. You are a member in the house and not a stranger or visitor in our kingdom. 

Don't look at yourself as a nobody, no! no!! you are a son and daughter in the house. A joint heir with Him and a child of the Most High God. In Philippians 1:7 KJV, Paul says ...we are all partakers of my grace. Note it didn't say partakers of disgrace, animosity, hatred or bitterness, but of the Grace of God resident in him. This means you carry a special grace in you that gives you the ability to win your world for Jesus at all times. 

This grace connects you with the exceeding great and precious promises of the kingdom and makes you a partaker of the divine nature of God; not partakers of the distractions of the world (2 Peter 1:4) KJV.

Further Scripture Study: 1 Peter 4:13 

Declare This: Dear Father, I sincerely thank You for showing and giving me all that pertains to me. I am a partaker now and always in Jesus name Amen.

MURMUR

So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them...." Numbers 14:1-3 NIV

The Israelites murmured against their gracious and loving God. Needless to say, their murmurings displeased Him. Sadly, many Christians are murmurers and grumblers. At home, on the job and even in the church; they grumble, murmur and complain. They see nothing good, to them everything is bad, their life is miserable and they want to make it that way for everyone else.

To murmur means to grumble, whine and complain in a low tone. There are those who murmur and complain silently; I can't afford buying that stuff I used to buy, I need to cut down on some necessary stuff, this job is killing me etc. When you murmur with such a mindset, you will begin to loose everything around you (be it living or non-living). Everything will start murmuring and complaining. Murmuring is a spirit, when it steps into your arena, before you know it - the murmuring spirit begins to affect things around you. Sadly, murmuring is one of the most prevalent with Christians. The more you murmur, the more you become discontent and discontent causes dis-trust. Reject murmuring and be content in life.

Further Scripture Study: Philippians 2:14-15; Philippians 2:4 

Declare This: Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word has come alive in my spirit. I refuse to murmur or grumble going forward because I am Your child in Jesus name Amen.

LOVE DOES NOT JUDGE

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” ‭‭Ephesians ‭2:4-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

God’s goal in sending His Son from heaven to earth was not to condemn you, or show you how bad you are, how unworthy you are or how hopeless you are. God’s only desire in sending His Son was to show you His love and draw you into a love relationship with Himself. Jesus didn’t come into the world in order to rebuke you, He came to rescue you. He didn’t come to criticize you, He came to cleanse you. He didn’t come to punish you, He came to pardon you. He didn’t come to destroy you, He came to deliver you.

However this does not mean that God is not a God of judgment. For there is a huge difference between recognizing right and wrong and being judgmental. There is a difference between judging the unrepentant sinner and being judgmental. Being judgmental means having a critical spirit that only looks for the bad in people and then quick to condemn. 

God on the other hand will judge us for our sins, only if we refuse to accept His offer of Salvation and forgiveness. So never go around looking for the fault in others so you can judge or condemn them, remember that God is loving and He wants all His Children to do right and follow Him alone. 

Further Scripture Study: James 4:12 

Declare This: Just like You Father, I refuse to be judgmental on others, but instead I express genuine love, love that will make others see Your love shine through me in Jesus name Amen.

DON'T LET GO

"Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4:13 NIV

What does it mean to hold on to instruction? It means to comply with or follow the commands or wishes, to submit or conform in action to (some guiding principle, impulse, one's conscience, etc.), It also means to put yourself under the authority of another and to agree to obey." 

After you've given your life to Christ, you start receiving guidance from the Word through the Holy Spirit and your Pastor (2 Timothy 3:16). The blessings of God are in most times simple instructions He gives. Many have neglected such instructions to their disadvantage.

There are several advantages to the one who holds on to instruction; he bears much fruit (John 15:5), no darkness can stand against him, he gains Wisdom and revelation (James 1:5) to carryout the work and lives in freedom. Obeying instructions keeps you free, it removes fear, it protects your mind and maintains your integrity. Also it gives you peace and stability that cannot be denied. The kind of peace that establishes your dignity, honor and personality.

Further Scripture Study: Proverbs 4:10-12; Jeremiah 3:15 

Declare This: Heavenly Father, I yield and submit myself to Your Word for my life and I take advantage of the many blessings You give in Jesus name Amen.

TEACH

"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching". 1 Timothy 4:13 ESV

Paul knew that people would look down on Timothy because he was young, so he admonished him; "Don’t give them a reason", devote yourself and heed to this instructions on how to live a spiritual and ethical life. He told Timothy to dedicate time to reading (studying), to exhortation and to teaching. As Christians we all need to also heed to this instructions too. 

Teaching is an art, a science and a Gift. Paul told Timothy to teach the undiluted Word of God to the believers. Everything we have learned in life is the direct result of somebody teaching us by word or deed and where we are right now, someone is still learning from us. Teaching is not only when you stand before a class of students, no! Your behavior, attitude, character and lifestyle is also a teacher. As a christian, how do you teach with your attitude and your character? The attitude you possess will always show itself outwardly, in other words, you cannot give what you don't have.

The greatest Teacher is Our Lord Jesus Christ and He has given us this same ability to teach. When He noticed there was unbelief in a particular city, what He did was to teach them so as to clear every unbelief. There is nothing we cannot do, be a teacher not only in words but also let it replicate in your way of life.

Further Scripture Study: Matthew 9:35 

Declare This: Father, I thank You for teaching me the way to follow. I will in return teach others to follow the way You have laid out for us all in Jesus name Amen.

GOD'S TEMPLE

“Know ye not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ”1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The verse above started with a question, know ye not that you are the temple of God? Now, Paul is saying that God's children are His temple, this is a very powerful statement indeed. The building where we meet is not God’s temple; it is only the place where God’s children gather for worship. The Bible says "when two or three of God’s people gather in the name of Jesus, He is there in their midst (Matthew 18:20); whether in a private home, park or cathedral. 

The Christian is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, God’s Holy Spirit dwells within the Christian believer. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit so you just can’t treat your body any which way, for you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

As Christians, We are not our own. These Corinthians thought that their bodies were their own and that they could do just what they wanted with them; how wrong they were. Always remember that you are God's temple and as His temple, He dwells in you richly. Therefore, constantly make a conscious effort not to defile God's dwelling place.

Further Scripture Study: Ephesians 2:19-22; 2 Corinthians 6:16 

Declare This: Thank You Lord for making me Your temple. I will not use my body wrongly, rather I live my life holy and acceptable only to please You in Jesus name Amen.

UNWAVERING FAITH

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬

Faith in a simple language is the ability to act and recognize what you can't see in spite of what you are seeing. In order words, it’s the ability to hold on to what God says about you in spite of what the situation or conditions around you says.

Abraham as we know was a man who held on to God's promises with regards having a son. Even when he was in the prime of his life, he held on to the promise; not thinking of the medical conditions of his body or that of his wife Sarah. Of course there were times when they doubted and wanted to do things on their own, an example of this was when Sarah gave her maid Hagar to Abraham so they can have children by her; which resulted in the birth of Ishmeal (Genesis 16; 21:1-7). Several years later, God visited them and she conceived and bore Abraham a son in their old age and they called him Isaac.

Keep calling those things that be not as though they were. Let your faith stay activated and always ready for the next level in spite of where you are right now. An unwavering faith pleases the Lord.

Further Scripture Study: ‭‭1 Corinthians 16:13; Romans 4:17; Hebrews 11:6

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Declare This: Thank You Father for my faith in Your Word is unwavering irrespective of the challenges I may face. Thank You for I am victorious always in Jesus name Amen.