“I thought we were friends?”, “I thought they loved me?”, “I thought I was her best friend?” etc. These are the questions we brood in our hearts, when we feel disappointed, unloved or rejected, by those upon whom we expect a certain affection due to our friendship or relationship with them. There is a desire in every human heart to be loved and accepted by those we respect, value and relate with. We want to believe that our friends regard us as their friends, that our cherished spouses also cherish us, that our beloved family members also highly regard us. In every relationship model, be it marriage, friends, work, family, groups and clubs, we expect and/or assume that certain people who are part of our lives have our names top in their friendship/relationship list.

No matter what state in life we find ourselves, there is a list we must all strive to be part of. There is a critical list we cannot afford to be left out of. The Heavenly List. We have previously discussed and seen that God keeps a list of his children, His friends and those who love and obey Him. All over the Bible we see several references of this heavenly list constantly and continuously complied by God.

One of the obvious ones is the Hebrews Hall of Faith. We see men like Abraham, Moses, David, etc. men that many of us strive to emulate. Of interest, however, are names like Rahab the harlot and Samson the Judge. Their lifestyles had many disapproving sagas but that was not the end. They turned around, and demonstrated a great show of faith in God. They fought on the Lord’s side and God acknowledged them. As a reward, God included them in His heavenly list! What an honour!

Samson and Rahab would have been written off by men but God is not a man that he should lie or repent, He is not subject to the frailties of life that befall men. He is the Lord who searches the hearts, the intents and the bone marrows of men, He saw through their hearts, and saw lives worthy of that heavenly list. Your life may be like Samson’s or Rahab’s now. Can I tell you that it is not over yet; arise, wipe your tears and turn to your loving God. Though your sins be as scarlet, murky and dirty; only Jesus can make your life clean and white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18). Come to Jesus if you are tired, weary and hungry for something better, commit your life to love and follow Him every day; and allow Him to change your story into a testimony of grace.

Another list that caught my attention is the list God compiled through the letters of Apostle Paul. We find names like Epaphroditus, Nymphas, Linus, Rufus, Andronicus and many brethren who laboured with Paul. (See Romans 16, 1 Corinthians 16, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Timothy 4) In Colossians 4:7, Paul writes, “all my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord.” Who is Tychicus? What do we know about him or his family? These men and women would not have come to light if Paul had not mentioned them.

Then there are those thousands unnamed, who “through faith subdued kingdoms, escaped the edge of the sword, waxed valiant in fight, received their dead raised to life again, received cruel mockings, scourgings, stoned, some died by stoning, some were sawed in half or were killed with the sword, others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection. The world was not ever worthy of them. (Hebrews 11:33-40)

All these men and women, who we know next to nothing about, were known, applauded and approved of God. Their quiet resounding testimonies subdued kingdoms; hidden to men but a constant memorial before God. Truly, the world did not deserve them. Their unrelenting commitment to God, even in the face of death, evokes deep admiration and a constant challenge to us believers today.

God is still compiling His list today. He is searching for those who will serve Him faithfully, in their remote corner of the world; men whom the world may never know, whereas in heaven, they constantly receive adulation for their bravery. Men, who are on the wanted list of the enemy while they top the chart in that heavenly list.

Dear friend, the choice is yours. Will you be part of God’s Heavenly List? If the answer is yes, make a prayer of commitment today to God and to His Son Jesus Christ. Yesterday with its mistakes is gone. Today is a new day. Make a lifetime commitment to be part of God’s Heavenly List, no matter what it takes.

Shalom

Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19

Anyone who attended any form of formal education, will attest to a critical morning routine we all strived to participate in. The Attendance Register. From elementary education to tertiary learning, the Attendance Register not only provides statistical information for schools’ databases; more importantly, it verifies the identity of the students in the class vis-à-vis the names in the general school Register. It is a veritable identification tool against impostors, who may falsely claim they were part of that learning community.

Do you also know that there is a Believers Attendance Register? Some hymnwriters term it, “Heaven’s Roll Call.” If created beings, in all their limited wisdom, keep such registers, how much more God, the Creator of all things. Our text above confirms that God knows those who belong to Him. God has His own Attendance Register and knows everyone in it by name.
God knows everything about their lives just as the school register contains the personal details of its students. In fact, it is more refreshing that God knows much more. He knows our pains, our desires, our plans, our thoughts and motives… He knew us even before conception. How wonderful a thought! (Psalm 139:6, 15-16)

If you have a problem with your iPhone or your Ford Focus, the most sensible people to contact would be the manufacturers, i.e Apple and Ford respectively. Contacting Samsung or Volvo is irrational, illogical and unwise. Can we, then, see how God feels when we bypass Him, our Creator, to contact other people concerning issues of our lives. From God’s perspective, it is truly unwise and illogical, when we consult Him as a last resort, when others have failed us.

God knows our comings and goings; He knows our thoughts from a million miles away. Even if we try to hide in the uttermost parts of the earth, or in the deep dark sea, He will find us there. (Psalms 139). How reassuring it is to depend on God in everything because He made us, knows us; therefore, as the Manufacturer, He alone exactly knows when, how and where each matter began. He alone is the Answer and the Solution.

When we were yet wicked and wily, vicious and vain, hateful and hurtful, unforgiving and unrepenting, unholy and unrighteous men; God knew us and still died for us. (Romans 5:8, John 3:16). How much more now we have accepted Him into our hearts as our Lord and Saviour. How much more now would He love and shield us, protect and provide for us, defend and fight for us, and perfect everything that concerns us. How much more now! Such thoughts are too wonderful for me. They are too deep and beyond human comprehension.

And this is what our Creator, our Manufacturer, says:
“My dearest, you are My servant whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. I have taken you from the ends of the earth, and called you from the farthest regions of the world. And, I say to you, you are My servant, I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

Fear not, for I am with you; don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’’ (Isaiah 41:8-10)
Such captivating words! Perfect and true in its entirety!

And so dear friend, God knows those who belong to Him. Do you belong to God? Those who belong to God have made a lifetime commitment to receive Jesus into their hearts as their Lord and Saviour. Have you made this commitment? If Jesus comes right now, will He accept you as His friend or will reject you?
If you already belong to God, we encourage you to prioritise God in your life, to make prayer your first and default resort. God knows you and what you are going through; however, He cannot force His way into you. He is waiting for you to draw closer to Him. Do draw closer to your loving Father who knows exactly what you need. Amen.

If you want to belong to God, we encourage you to say a prayer now and ask Jesus to come into your heart as your Lord and Saviour, to cleanse you from your past and make you His child. If you have said this prayer by faith, Congratulations! You belong to God now. Amen.
We would love to hear from you to pray and encourage you on your new life and walk with God. Do contact us if you don’t mind.
Shalom.

Urging brethren to press on

To make a stand for good

Overcoming evil with good

Through every wile of the enemy

Resisting firmly every enemy

Grace is sufficient

Strength is promised

Victory is assured

Though your way be sorely winding

Worldly lights around are dazzling

Fears and doubts assail your heart

To give up now is not your part

The path of faith makes you stronger

The finish line not far from yonder

Listen now, they speak as one

Heaven’s host cheers you on

No one ever imagined, that there would ever be a day when an Olympic event would be held without the usual stadium-packed spectators and fans. But that was exactly what happened, during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020. Shops, parks and schools were deserted; everywhere resembled apocalyptic ghost towns. Consequently, the Tokyo Olympics 2020 was held in 2021 without fans and spectators. As an Olympics fan, watching an empty stadium or velodrome felt very hollow and different, without the usual cheering and boisterous crowd. Athletes, also, attested to the fight to remain mentally positive and focused in the echoing stadiums.

The fact is, there is an inexplicable synergy created between a performing athlete and the cheering roars of innumerable spectators. This synergy translates the athlete into an elevated terrain of faith, self-confidence and moral boost. It is like a gust of wind propelling athletes towards the finish line; it fuels their veins with an unquenchable desire to stand on that prized and acclaimed top podium.

Similarly, as believers, we are on a heavenly race, and there is a heavenly host that cheers us on toward victory. They are the heavenly General Assembly, the innumerable company of angels; Moses, David and the holy men of faith in Hebrews 11; Paul, Joanna, Peter, and the apostles of Jesus; Aristarchus, Epaphras, Epaphroditus and the many brethren that quietly laboured with Paul; John Wesley, Katherine Kulman, Charles Spurgeon, Billy Graham and many faithful believers of our times. All these men and women are seated in full capacity in that heavenly stadium, looking glorious and beautiful, cheering and urging us towards the finish line. They clap and shout and encourage us not to quit the battle though it be fierce; not to relent in believing though God tarries; to look up to Jesus our Strength and Succour; to learn from their mistakes and stand on their testimonies.

Open your eyes and look around you, see how they cheer us towards that crown of righteousness, reserved for those who love him passionately, who await His appearing eagerly, and those who serve Him faithfully to the end. “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and your feeble knees. Make every effort to live in peace with all men, and be holy, for without holiness, no man shall see God” (Hebrews 12:12-14). “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door; you can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate.” (Luke 13:24, Matthew 7:13-14).

Listen closely dear friends, and hear the angelic voices. Heaven’s host cheers you on.

Shalom.

]]> https://www.worldharvestmanchester.com/2022/06/12/heavens-host-cheers-you-on/feed/ 0 https://www.worldharvestmanchester.com/2022/06/06/the-beauty-of-the-secret-place-pt1/ https://www.worldharvestmanchester.com/2022/06/06/the-beauty-of-the-secret-place-pt1/#respond Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:38:38 +0000 https://www.worldharvestmanchester.com/?p=210477 He who dwells 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 I will Trust – Psalm 91 v.1-2

As a Christian, the secret place is a place not to be ignored – that 121-connection point you communicate with your maker; it is sacred, intimate, personal and can only be further described when you have had a true encounter with the Holy Spirit. Before we go in-depth in this subject, I would like to break down and simplify the context of this bible verse.

Firstly, what does it mean to dwell? To dwell according to the Oxford English dictionary means to live in or live at a specified place. That specified place is in your spirit. The spirit of God came to live on the inside of you when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and saviour. When you in turn dwell in the secret place, you are acknowledging that which is living in you and it goes deeper than that. There is a connection and a staying power to remain and savour the beauty of the in dwelling.

Secondly, what or where is this secret place you may ask? A secret place is where someone or something can be hidden or where they are hiding – a hideout, sanctuary, shelter, etc

Thirdly, how do you abide? Jesus said “Abide in me and I will abide in you. Abide means to remain stable or fixed in a state, to continue in a place. To abide under the shadow of the Almighty denotes closeness to God. Moses dwelt in the secret place in the midst of the dark cloud (Exodus 24v18) When you abide, you feel the presence and the glory of God – it is just the place to be! Like an eagle covering its young ones with its wings, so does God want to hide us in his protection under his wings where we find refuge in that safe haven free from every sort of harm. Reminds me of a childhood story of when I was young, and we were to visit our private clinic with our seasonal dose of immunisations in the form of an injection which absolutely terrified me. I would immediately hide behind my father holding his legs and in my young mind, I was totally invisible and untouchable to the whole world and safe from harm. This human illustration does not even come as close to that of our heavenly father and yet depicts the potential of hiding and trusting to feel safe – how much more Almighty God!

You see, when you abide in the secret place the presence of God overshadows you. The secret place of our heart- the prayer closet where we appeal to the hidden presence of God to be made manifest in every circumstance of our lives. We are privy to having access to His divine presence – the Holies of holies made without human hands.

Sometimes when we are facing trials or challenges, God wants us to draw closer to Him. That is the beauty of the secret place – His presence is so close, His heart so near that the proximity catapults your faith to a whole new level. You draw strength to face the day. He reveals mysteries in this secret place, secrets are downloaded to your spirit. Solutions that are far-fetched now seem like reality – Faith begins to rise!

Are you dwelling? Are you enjoying that beauty of being alone with the Master where nothing and absolutely nothing comes between you? He wraps His arm of love around you and constantly reminds you that “It is I who will give you the hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel who summons you by name”

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

Have you ever wondered, “What if television sets were endless chatterboxes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30 or 31 days a month… with no remote control to turn them off?

The introduction of 24-hour TV viewership, in 1980, was a thrilling and welcomed news to many TV lovers. Some of my friends, then, day-dreamed about the exciting prospect, of watching the coloured screened box all day long. The fact is, whether it is the old, rusty, dusty, big, black, cupboard-like box, of the 70s, like my grandfather’s clock; or the new, sleek, trendy, slim, 24-hour, LED screens of this digital age; every television set comes with one indispensable feature. The remote control.

Yes, the small, black or grey coloured, usually misplaced and indispensable device. Among the many useful jobs of the remote control, the most important one is the fact that we can simply escape the endless chatter of the television set by turning it off with its remote control. It is a welcome escape from being practically controlled by our television sets.

Similarly, our text above shows an important feature of every temptation we face: a way of escape already provided by God. In other words, every temptation we face features within that temptation, an attached indispensable escape route packaged, planned, and prepared by God for his children. What a loving and thoughtful Father He is!

The clues for the escape can be found in this same verse.

Firstly, the temptation is general to every man. In essence, when we look around, we will discover someone in the Bible or around us who had overcome that temptation. All we need to do is, do what they did to get the same victorious result. Secondly, we can handle it. In order words, the temptation may look insurmountable and overwhelming; but God said we can handle it. We must believe God’s word by faith and prayerfully march on to victory. Amen! Thirdly, there is an escape route. In essence, there is a door of escape open and free, revealed to anyone who seeks for it. When we ask or seek for it, i.e., when we pray, God will show us that escape route. (Matthew 7:7)

All these divine help are for those who not only desire to be overcomers in every temptation but for those who prayerfully seek them out until they find them.

The choice is ours: whether to pick up that remote control, shut down the television set and redeem our precious time or become fixated with never-ending TV series that dissipate our ephemeral and evanescent time.

Similarly, my friend, the choice is yours: whether to search out and run to your divinely provided escape route to a victorious Christian life, or shut down every warning signal from the Holy Spirit, and be defeated by our Arch-enemy.

My prayer is for you to prayerfully choose God’s many ways of escape, prepared and made readily available, especially for you. He wants us to live victorious lives because He has made us more than conquerors through his love and by the finished work on the Cross. Nevertheless, this victory can only be realised by those who come boldly to the Throne of grace, to receive help from our loving and faithful Father.

Remember, every temptation has embedded in it, God’s escape route.

Once again dear friend, what will you do? – will you pick up the remote control?

TEXT: Ephesians 2:4-10

Memory Verse: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

(Titus 2:11)

INTRODUCTION

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bore witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spoke, He that comes after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Such beautiful words usher us into GOD’s eternal purpose for every man. The subject of grace is one most Christians are quite familiar with. At once, it speaks of that attribute of GOD we most cherish; one we commonly quote in daily conversation. We can easily agree that we could not possibly be saved outside of it.

in 1 Peter 5:10, GOD is described as “The GOD of all grace”. Therefore to understand the subject of grace is to understand the very nature of God Himself. The picture of GOD’s grace is painted throughout the Bible – even as much in the old testament. In the New Testament God appeared to us as grace in the Person of  Jesus Christ; a Man “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

The subject of grace is quite vast; however, in this segment of the study, we will be looking at grace as it affects salvation and our victory over sin.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What do you understand by GOD’s Grace and how does it affect your life?
2. How do we receive GOD’s grace into our lives?
3. 3. How do you explain “GOD’s Grace” from the following scriptures?

    John 8:2-11, Lk 19:1-10, Mk 2:1-12, Jonah 2:1-10

4. 4. Why do we need grace concerning our salvation?

Isa 64:6, Rom 3:23, Matt 5:20, Rom 6:23, John 1:17, 1Tim1:9

5. Which other areas of our spiritual walk do we need grace?

Rom 5:1-2, 2Tim 2:1, 2Cor 9:8, Col 4:6, Eph 4:7

6. What does Romans 5:20 mean and how does grace overcome sin?
7. Read John 3:18, John 1:11-12, 2Cor 6:1, Gal 2:21, Heb 10:29 Can the grace of GOD be in vain? How?