Saturday, November 19, 2011
Noyo Edem's Vision: The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 20:19...
Noyo Edem's Vision: The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 20:19...: The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 14:27. By Noyo Anthonia Kubeyinje Edem on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 1:39pm J...
Noyo Edem's Vision: The Heaven and Skies Praise God Even If Man Would ...
Noyo Edem's Vision: The Heaven and Skies Praise God Even If Man Would ...: The Heaven and Skies Praise God Even If Man Would Not: Psalm 19. The Heaven and Skies Praise God Even If Man Would Not: Psalm 19 Vers...
Noyo Edem's Vision: Do Good Deeds and Be blessed. I Peter 3. By Mrs. N...
Noyo Edem's Vision: Do Good Deeds and Be blessed. I Peter 3. By Mrs. N...: Yahoo! Mail Updates occur every 1440 minutes. Do Good Deeds and Be blessed. I Peter 3 1 Wives, in the same w...
Noyo Edem's Vision: You Are Being Built Up As A Living Stone. I Peter ...
Noyo Edem's Vision: You Are Being Built Up As A Living Stone. I Peter ...: 1 Peter 2 1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, c...
Noyo Edem's Vision: The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 20:19...
Noyo Edem's Vision: The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 20:19...: The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 14:27. By Noyo Anthonia Kubeyinje Edem on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 1:39pm J...
The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 20:19.
The Peace That Is Unknown To The World. John 14:27.
By Noyo Anthonia Kubeyinje Edem on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 1:39pm
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14: 1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.John
16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
John 20:21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
John 20:26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
The Bible verses above remind us that God has given us His peace. The peace of God is a kind of peace that the world does not know and can never appreciate or understand. Philippians 4:7 states that "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
The peace of God is available to all believers who trust God, and truly believe that there is peace in this world for believers in God and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
A believer who doubts the promises of God will never be able to enjoy the true peace of God. Therefore, we must repent from every spirit of unbelief and trust God to accomplish His will in our lives. We must also have faith to look beyond the situations in our lives that seem to make us anxious about life. God has promised us peace in this world, and we must believe that we have peace in every situation we pass through in life.The believer's faith in God should give the believer a living hope to understand that every situation he/she passes through in life will always produce good results for the believer. Thus, we should rejoice and be thankful to God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.
Luke 12:25 asks:
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
If we cannot change our situations by worrying, then why do we continue to worry? Instead of worrying, we should learn to trust God and believe that God is our helper. God is faithful to help everyone that acknowledges His name and depends on God to help him/her. Are you ready to acknowledge God as your God and depend on Him to help you? God will not disappoint you as He states in Psalm 91:14-16
14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
While problems may occur in life, we know that there is a solution to everyone problem we pass through. Thus, we also understand that the cycles of life move in seasons, and a cycle of problem will quickly be followed by a cycle of peace. For the believer who has faith, there is peace in the midst of problems and confusion. The Spirit of God will give the believer the strength to overcome every trial so that the believer will be comforted. We have the kind of peace that the world cannot give us, because the Spirit of God is leading us through life and every step we take is ordered by the Spirit.
Psalm 37:23-24 state:
23 The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
1 Samuel 2: 9-10 state:
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the LORD will be broken. (Amen).
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
Fr Bertram Griffin -- 1932-2000
Requiescat in Pace
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3, 5-6
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Hopeforthefamily.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14: 1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.John
16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
John 20:21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
John 20:26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
The Bible verses above remind us that God has given us His peace. The peace of God is a kind of peace that the world does not know and can never appreciate or understand. Philippians 4:7 states that "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
The peace of God is available to all believers who trust God, and truly believe that there is peace in this world for believers in God and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
A believer who doubts the promises of God will never be able to enjoy the true peace of God. Therefore, we must repent from every spirit of unbelief and trust God to accomplish His will in our lives. We must also have faith to look beyond the situations in our lives that seem to make us anxious about life. God has promised us peace in this world, and we must believe that we have peace in every situation we pass through in life.The believer's faith in God should give the believer a living hope to understand that every situation he/she passes through in life will always produce good results for the believer. Thus, we should rejoice and be thankful to God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.
Luke 12:25 asks:
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
If we cannot change our situations by worrying, then why do we continue to worry? Instead of worrying, we should learn to trust God and believe that God is our helper. God is faithful to help everyone that acknowledges His name and depends on God to help him/her. Are you ready to acknowledge God as your God and depend on Him to help you? God will not disappoint you as He states in Psalm 91:14-16
14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
While problems may occur in life, we know that there is a solution to everyone problem we pass through. Thus, we also understand that the cycles of life move in seasons, and a cycle of problem will quickly be followed by a cycle of peace. For the believer who has faith, there is peace in the midst of problems and confusion. The Spirit of God will give the believer the strength to overcome every trial so that the believer will be comforted. We have the kind of peace that the world cannot give us, because the Spirit of God is leading us through life and every step we take is ordered by the Spirit.
Psalm 37:23-24 state:
23 The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
1 Samuel 2: 9-10 state:
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the LORD will be broken. (Amen).
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
In loving memory of--Reinhold Niebuhr
Fr Bertram Griffin -- 1932-2000
Requiescat in Pace
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3, 5-6
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Hopeforthefamily.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
You Are Being Built Up As A Living Stone. I Peter 2. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
1 Peter 2
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b]
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[c]
8 and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e]
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
The new life we have accepted in Christ dictates that we must get rid of our old habits and consciously strive to live holy lives. We must love everyone around us and be considerate of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and even be considerate of our "enemies". I Peter 2 encourages us to "rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. Like new born babies, crave pure spiritual milk..."
God has not left us alone to struggle to attain to spiritual maturity and perfection in this new lifestyle we have acquired in Christ Jesus. Instead, by the special grace of God the Father, the Holy Spirit is available to help each one of us to grow in the spiritual knowledge of God, and His Kingdom so that we can become mature Christians.
Today's passage states that we are being built up as living stones for our God. Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner stone and each of us are being built up to be parts of the unified body of Christ. Therefore, we must always try to emulate the example of Jesus Christ and be obedient to God, the Father. We must also do good deeds, because our God is good and holy. God wants us to be holy unto Him, because our God is a holy God.
May God help us to continue to strive to do His will in Jesus' name. May we learn to humble ourselves before God and surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit to lead us on the path of righteousness in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer Points:
Thank God for this new day; bless His holy name for the things He has done for you and your families. Thank God for your salvation and pray for strength to remain faithful in your ministries.
Pray for wisdom to overcome all the worldly habits that you are still struggling with in your life. Pray that the Holy Spirit should reveal the things you need to change in your life so that you can grow up as a mature Christian.
Repent of your sins; pray for the forgiveness of the sins of members of your families and nations. Ask God to give you the courage to forgive those that have sinned against you.
Thank God for answered prayers in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Hopeforthefamily.
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b]
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[c]
8 and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e]
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
The new life we have accepted in Christ dictates that we must get rid of our old habits and consciously strive to live holy lives. We must love everyone around us and be considerate of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and even be considerate of our "enemies". I Peter 2 encourages us to "rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. Like new born babies, crave pure spiritual milk..."
God has not left us alone to struggle to attain to spiritual maturity and perfection in this new lifestyle we have acquired in Christ Jesus. Instead, by the special grace of God the Father, the Holy Spirit is available to help each one of us to grow in the spiritual knowledge of God, and His Kingdom so that we can become mature Christians.
Today's passage states that we are being built up as living stones for our God. Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner stone and each of us are being built up to be parts of the unified body of Christ. Therefore, we must always try to emulate the example of Jesus Christ and be obedient to God, the Father. We must also do good deeds, because our God is good and holy. God wants us to be holy unto Him, because our God is a holy God.
May God help us to continue to strive to do His will in Jesus' name. May we learn to humble ourselves before God and surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit to lead us on the path of righteousness in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer Points:
Thank God for this new day; bless His holy name for the things He has done for you and your families. Thank God for your salvation and pray for strength to remain faithful in your ministries.
Pray for wisdom to overcome all the worldly habits that you are still struggling with in your life. Pray that the Holy Spirit should reveal the things you need to change in your life so that you can grow up as a mature Christian.
Repent of your sins; pray for the forgiveness of the sins of members of your families and nations. Ask God to give you the courage to forgive those that have sinned against you.
Thank God for answered prayers in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Hopeforthefamily.
Do Good Deeds and Be blessed. I Peter 3. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
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Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Heaven and Skies Praise God Even If Man Would Not: Psalm 19.
The Heaven and Skies Praise God Even If Man Would Not: Psalm 19.
The Heaven and Skies Praise God Even If Man Would Not: Psalm 19
Verses 1-2:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out
Into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
Verses 7-11:
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
Giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey comb.
By them is your servant warned, in keeping them there is a great reward.
The Bible commands everything created by God to praise Him. Man may be careless or fail in praising God, but the heavens, skies, sun, moon and every other thing created by God will never fail to praise Him. Do you remember the saying, “Walls have ears?†Today, I want everyone reading this message to know that walls also have mouths to praise God. Our passage today states that day after day the heavens declare God’s glory and the skies proclaim the work of His hands. The heavens and the skies utter speech of their praises to God in every language known to men. We may not hear the praises but He to whom the praise is given hears and acknowledges it. By night time, the heavens and skies display God’s knowledge in every speech and language. Their praise has gone out to all the earth and even to the uttermost parts of the world. The implication of this is that none of us has any excuse to say that we have not heard about the glory and goodness of God. The things God created have shown us everything we need to know about our God. The magnificence, wisdom, glory and beauty of God are right before our eyes in His creation. We have no excuse not to praise our God.
The heavens and skies will continue to praise God, show forth his knowledge in every speech and language whether we are ready to do the same or not. Our God is worthy to receive glory and honor, for he has created everything for his pleasure. Revelation Chapter 4 verses 9-11 confirm my argument:
“Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.â€
It is our duty to praise God, because that is the reason why we were created. Our lives on earth will be meaningless if God is not at the center of everything we do. The song of the Christian here on earth should be the victorious song of Moses the servant of God and the Song of the Lamb of God which was sang by the Christians who have been victorious over the beast and its image and its mark as we read in Revelation Chapter 15 verses 3-4:
“Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty, Just and true are your ways,
King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.â€
In the New Testament, John the Baptist warned the Pharisees and Sadducees that they should not think they can say to themselves, “We have Abraham as our Father.†{Matthew 3 verse 9} He told them that God could raise sons for Abraham from stones in order to fulfill his promise to Abraham. Why did John the Baptist refer to stones? A stone is a non living thing, but it is one of God’s creations that seem to have a lot of spiritual force within it. The stone was used a lot in the Bible as a sure witness when the Israelites needed to seal an oath, or as a boundary line when they won a victory over their enemies. The stone may be a non living thing to us, but it contains a power force that can make it a witness before God. It can become descendants of Abraham at God’s will and therefore can be given the ability to praise and worship God. By implication, we should be aware that stones which most of us consider mere objects are praising God when we refuse to praise Him. The mountains, hills, oceans etc are all praising God every day and every night, and they utter their praises in our languages. There is no language they have not spoken on earth. Therefore, a stone along with the heavens, skies and every other thing God created acknowledge God’s glory.
Let’s us examine verses 7-11 of Psalm 19 to find out why God should be worthy of our praise and worship. These verses outline the various attributes of God from the Psalmist’s experience in his relationship with his God. I will list out the attributes here.
The Law/statutes of the Lord is: perfect, reviving the soul.
They are trustworthy, makes wise the simple, the precepts are right, and brings joy to the heart, the commands are radiant, gives light to the eyes, the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous; more precious than gold, than more fine gold; greater than the honey, than the honey comb, by it servants are warned, in keeping them there is great reward.
The attributes above confirm that our God is trustworthy, and He will not fail us, if we abide by his laws and obey him. Our God cannot mislead us and His wisdom will be made available to the simple that trust in him. His is righteous and perfect in everything. Why would we not praise this God? Remember the heavens and skies have trusted Him and are praising Him in every language both by day and by night. The Heavens and the Skies will praise God, if we do not.
Prayer Points: Let us pray that we will join the heavens and the skies to declare God’s glory and to show forth his praise to the world. Let us pray that we should have a heart to trust our God and that we should not be careless in our praise of our God.
May God help us to continue to put our trust in Him and learn to praise him both by night and by day.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Verses 1-2:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out
Into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
Verses 7-11:
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
Giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey comb.
By them is your servant warned, in keeping them there is a great reward.
The Bible commands everything created by God to praise Him. Man may be careless or fail in praising God, but the heavens, skies, sun, moon and every other thing created by God will never fail to praise Him. Do you remember the saying, “Walls have ears?†Today, I want everyone reading this message to know that walls also have mouths to praise God. Our passage today states that day after day the heavens declare God’s glory and the skies proclaim the work of His hands. The heavens and the skies utter speech of their praises to God in every language known to men. We may not hear the praises but He to whom the praise is given hears and acknowledges it. By night time, the heavens and skies display God’s knowledge in every speech and language. Their praise has gone out to all the earth and even to the uttermost parts of the world. The implication of this is that none of us has any excuse to say that we have not heard about the glory and goodness of God. The things God created have shown us everything we need to know about our God. The magnificence, wisdom, glory and beauty of God are right before our eyes in His creation. We have no excuse not to praise our God.
The heavens and skies will continue to praise God, show forth his knowledge in every speech and language whether we are ready to do the same or not. Our God is worthy to receive glory and honor, for he has created everything for his pleasure. Revelation Chapter 4 verses 9-11 confirm my argument:
“Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.â€
It is our duty to praise God, because that is the reason why we were created. Our lives on earth will be meaningless if God is not at the center of everything we do. The song of the Christian here on earth should be the victorious song of Moses the servant of God and the Song of the Lamb of God which was sang by the Christians who have been victorious over the beast and its image and its mark as we read in Revelation Chapter 15 verses 3-4:
“Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty, Just and true are your ways,
King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.â€
In the New Testament, John the Baptist warned the Pharisees and Sadducees that they should not think they can say to themselves, “We have Abraham as our Father.†{Matthew 3 verse 9} He told them that God could raise sons for Abraham from stones in order to fulfill his promise to Abraham. Why did John the Baptist refer to stones? A stone is a non living thing, but it is one of God’s creations that seem to have a lot of spiritual force within it. The stone was used a lot in the Bible as a sure witness when the Israelites needed to seal an oath, or as a boundary line when they won a victory over their enemies. The stone may be a non living thing to us, but it contains a power force that can make it a witness before God. It can become descendants of Abraham at God’s will and therefore can be given the ability to praise and worship God. By implication, we should be aware that stones which most of us consider mere objects are praising God when we refuse to praise Him. The mountains, hills, oceans etc are all praising God every day and every night, and they utter their praises in our languages. There is no language they have not spoken on earth. Therefore, a stone along with the heavens, skies and every other thing God created acknowledge God’s glory.
Let’s us examine verses 7-11 of Psalm 19 to find out why God should be worthy of our praise and worship. These verses outline the various attributes of God from the Psalmist’s experience in his relationship with his God. I will list out the attributes here.
The Law/statutes of the Lord is: perfect, reviving the soul.
They are trustworthy, makes wise the simple, the precepts are right, and brings joy to the heart, the commands are radiant, gives light to the eyes, the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous; more precious than gold, than more fine gold; greater than the honey, than the honey comb, by it servants are warned, in keeping them there is great reward.
The attributes above confirm that our God is trustworthy, and He will not fail us, if we abide by his laws and obey him. Our God cannot mislead us and His wisdom will be made available to the simple that trust in him. His is righteous and perfect in everything. Why would we not praise this God? Remember the heavens and skies have trusted Him and are praising Him in every language both by day and by night. The Heavens and the Skies will praise God, if we do not.
Prayer Points: Let us pray that we will join the heavens and the skies to declare God’s glory and to show forth his praise to the world. Let us pray that we should have a heart to trust our God and that we should not be careless in our praise of our God.
May God help us to continue to put our trust in Him and learn to praise him both by night and by day.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Friday, November 11, 2011
"The Lord is a Refuge for the Oppressed..." Psalm 9:9. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9
Noyo Edem's Notes:
It is an innate attribute of men to want to be in control of not just their lives and circumstances, but they also want to control other people's lives, if they can. This innate tendency makes some people to be very oppressive and aggressive towards others. At times they exhibit these attributes of control without realizing that they are treading on other people's freedom, or trespassing in someone's personal space. Each person has his/her own personal space and the person should be able to enjoy some freedom in this space.
Imagine someone coming to your home and telling you that you do not have a right to sleep on your bed or even be in your home. The first thought that will come to anyone's mind will be to wonder if the intruder is mentality stable. You will be surprised that a lot of mentality stable people willingly intrude on other people's personal spaces and try to oppress and suppress them in life. You do not have to necessarily do anything wrong in life to be so treated, it is just how people who behave this way operate.
We wonder why things do not work smoothly in society; why governments do not provide what their people need and why people allow other people's rights to be violated. The reason I think people succeed with oppressing others is because at one time or the other each person in the society has been oppressed. Therefore people have become conditioned to accept whatever comes their way. I want anyone passing through oppression of any kind to remember that the Lord is our refuge. Psalm 9 verse 9 states that, 'The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."
The Lord will never forsake those who seek him. What this tells me is that though people try to oppress us, they do not really succeed in the end because the Lord is our refuge, and he will never forsake those of us who seek Him. Therefore, seek the Lord with all of your heart, soul, spirit and strength. Seek Him when he may be found, because the Lord is your refuge. The Lord is our refuge this day, as we pass through the experiences of life. Family and friends may not always be there, but the Lord will be there all the time. The Bible warns us about putting our hope in men or even trusting men. Men will disappoint us, but God will always be there for us. He is our refuge.
The Psalmist said in Psalm 11 that, "In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me flee like a bird to your mountain." We will not flee to the mountain or anywhere, because the Lord is our refuge.
May God truly be your refuge this day.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Noyo Edem's Notes:
It is an innate attribute of men to want to be in control of not just their lives and circumstances, but they also want to control other people's lives, if they can. This innate tendency makes some people to be very oppressive and aggressive towards others. At times they exhibit these attributes of control without realizing that they are treading on other people's freedom, or trespassing in someone's personal space. Each person has his/her own personal space and the person should be able to enjoy some freedom in this space.
Imagine someone coming to your home and telling you that you do not have a right to sleep on your bed or even be in your home. The first thought that will come to anyone's mind will be to wonder if the intruder is mentality stable. You will be surprised that a lot of mentality stable people willingly intrude on other people's personal spaces and try to oppress and suppress them in life. You do not have to necessarily do anything wrong in life to be so treated, it is just how people who behave this way operate.
We wonder why things do not work smoothly in society; why governments do not provide what their people need and why people allow other people's rights to be violated. The reason I think people succeed with oppressing others is because at one time or the other each person in the society has been oppressed. Therefore people have become conditioned to accept whatever comes their way. I want anyone passing through oppression of any kind to remember that the Lord is our refuge. Psalm 9 verse 9 states that, 'The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."
The Lord will never forsake those who seek him. What this tells me is that though people try to oppress us, they do not really succeed in the end because the Lord is our refuge, and he will never forsake those of us who seek Him. Therefore, seek the Lord with all of your heart, soul, spirit and strength. Seek Him when he may be found, because the Lord is your refuge. The Lord is our refuge this day, as we pass through the experiences of life. Family and friends may not always be there, but the Lord will be there all the time. The Bible warns us about putting our hope in men or even trusting men. Men will disappoint us, but God will always be there for us. He is our refuge.
The Psalmist said in Psalm 11 that, "In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me flee like a bird to your mountain." We will not flee to the mountain or anywhere, because the Lord is our refuge.
May God truly be your refuge this day.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Proclaim the Gospel to Make Your Joy Complete. I John 1. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
1 John 1
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
We received the good news of the eternal gospel of peace and salvation from our predecessors in the faith. They were faithful in their service to God, and they obeyed God and went out to proclaim the gospel to the world. I can confidently say that they understood that their fellowship with God and the Son would not have been perfect or complete, if they did not preach this gospel to the rest of the world. Furthermore, their joy in the service of our God and their hope for an eternal life with Him in heaven would not have been made possible and complete if they did not obey God.
Today's passage encourages us to tell the world about the gospel, and testify about the salvation of Jesus Christ. We must be concerned about winning souls for the Kingdom of God, because there are still many people living in the Kingdom of darkness that have not yet heard about this gospel. Therefore, we must strive to reach out to them so that our fellowship with God and His Son Jesus Christ will flourish and our joy will be complete.
None of us can deny that we have not sinned; we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory and thus we must repent of our sins and turn back to God. Those of us who have been saved must tell others about God's plan for the salvation of man. The gospel of Jesus Christ reconciles us to God and purifies us of all unrighteousness.
Let us be blessed this day as we heed the word of God and do the Lord's will in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer Points:
Thank God for this new day; bless Him for His Holy name; thank God for counting your worthy to be His child and ambassador on earth. Tell God that your repent of your sins and the unwillingness in you to proclaim the gospel. Ask God to empower you and give you wisdom and knowledge to do His will. Pray for an utterance from God for the people around you today.
Thank God for answered prayers in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
We received the good news of the eternal gospel of peace and salvation from our predecessors in the faith. They were faithful in their service to God, and they obeyed God and went out to proclaim the gospel to the world. I can confidently say that they understood that their fellowship with God and the Son would not have been perfect or complete, if they did not preach this gospel to the rest of the world. Furthermore, their joy in the service of our God and their hope for an eternal life with Him in heaven would not have been made possible and complete if they did not obey God.
Today's passage encourages us to tell the world about the gospel, and testify about the salvation of Jesus Christ. We must be concerned about winning souls for the Kingdom of God, because there are still many people living in the Kingdom of darkness that have not yet heard about this gospel. Therefore, we must strive to reach out to them so that our fellowship with God and His Son Jesus Christ will flourish and our joy will be complete.
None of us can deny that we have not sinned; we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory and thus we must repent of our sins and turn back to God. Those of us who have been saved must tell others about God's plan for the salvation of man. The gospel of Jesus Christ reconciles us to God and purifies us of all unrighteousness.
Let us be blessed this day as we heed the word of God and do the Lord's will in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer Points:
Thank God for this new day; bless Him for His Holy name; thank God for counting your worthy to be His child and ambassador on earth. Tell God that your repent of your sins and the unwillingness in you to proclaim the gospel. Ask God to empower you and give you wisdom and knowledge to do His will. Pray for an utterance from God for the people around you today.
Thank God for answered prayers in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
The People Have Become Dross To God. Ezekiel 22:17-31. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
The People Have Become Dross To God. Ezekiel 22:17-31.
Then the word of the LORD came to me: 18 "Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace to melt it with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. 21 I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the LORD have poured out my wrath upon you.' "
23 Again the word of the LORD came to me: 24 "Son of man, say to the land, 'You are a land that has had no rain or showers [c] in the day of wrath.' 25 There is a conspiracy of her princes [d] within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says'-when the LORD has not spoken. 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice.
30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."
Noyo Edem’s Notes:
Have we ever considered how God views our relationship with Him when we continue to live in sins? How do we think we appear to God when we go to Him covered with sins all over and want Him to listen to our prayers and intercessions? God says that we have become dross to Him; we have become like “copper, tin, iron and lead that are left inside a furnace” and God is ready to melt us with a “fiery blast” of His wrath. We appear unclean to God and we are not better than these minerals that are leftover products in a furnace; we have become dross to God.
Is there anyone of us that still does not know why God may be angry with the nations? There are conspiracies and violence in the nations; men have turned against one another; the innocent is being unduly exploited by wicked men; extortion of money is taking place all over and even extortion is carried out in high places with leaders who are supposed to protect their people; there is profanity in the land; the sacred things are no longer treasured; men have turned to “lions” and “wolves” running about with insane wrath to destroy one another; the prophets give false visions and divination in the name of the Lord.
The wickedness of men has made them to become dross to the Lord. God is ready to destroy the wicked, because their actions are detestable to Him. The Bible says that God’s people perish due to lack of knowledge. The message of today brings knowledge to the reader. We are aware of how God feels about sins, and how God views us when we sin against Him. We are also aware that God will punish us, if we do not repent of our sins; therefore we have an opportunity today to repent of our sins and ask God for mercy.
May God bless the reading of His words in our hearts in Jesus’ name. Amen.
GOD OF MERCY AND COMPASSION:
A TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN HYMN
God of Mercy and Compassion
God of mercy and compassion,
Look with pity upon me;
Father, let me call thee Father,
"Tis thy child returns to thee.
Refrain:
Jesus Lord, I ask for mercy;
Let me not implore in vain;
All my sins I now detest them,
Never will I sin again.
By my sins I have deserved,
Death and endless misery;
Hell with all its pains and torments
And for all eternity
(Refrain)
By my sins I have abandoned
Right and claim to heaven above,
Where the saints rejoice forever,
In a boundless sea of love.
(Refrain)
See our Saviour, bleeding, dying,
On the cross of Calvary;
To that cross my sins have nail'd him,
Yet he bleeds and dies for me.
Prayer: Father Lord, we acknowledge that you are a righteous and faithful God; we acknowledge that you created the world to be perfect, and you made everything beautiful so that you will have pleasure in the things you created. We acknowledge that you have given us a hope to inherit an eternal life with you, if we faithfully do your will. We acknowledge that our sins have separated us from your love and protection and we struggle to enjoy the good things you created for our benefits.
Father, forgive us of our sins and have mercy on us; have mercy on our families and nations O Lord. We pray that your Holy Spirit will continue to teach us the right way to interact with you so that we will be reconciled to your love again. Father, help us to learn how to shun temptations and refocus our minds back to you. We know you are our God and we desire to do your will. Help us, O Lord, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Be blessed this day in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Then the word of the LORD came to me: 18 "Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace to melt it with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. 21 I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the LORD have poured out my wrath upon you.' "
23 Again the word of the LORD came to me: 24 "Son of man, say to the land, 'You are a land that has had no rain or showers [c] in the day of wrath.' 25 There is a conspiracy of her princes [d] within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says'-when the LORD has not spoken. 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice.
30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."
Noyo Edem’s Notes:
Have we ever considered how God views our relationship with Him when we continue to live in sins? How do we think we appear to God when we go to Him covered with sins all over and want Him to listen to our prayers and intercessions? God says that we have become dross to Him; we have become like “copper, tin, iron and lead that are left inside a furnace” and God is ready to melt us with a “fiery blast” of His wrath. We appear unclean to God and we are not better than these minerals that are leftover products in a furnace; we have become dross to God.
Is there anyone of us that still does not know why God may be angry with the nations? There are conspiracies and violence in the nations; men have turned against one another; the innocent is being unduly exploited by wicked men; extortion of money is taking place all over and even extortion is carried out in high places with leaders who are supposed to protect their people; there is profanity in the land; the sacred things are no longer treasured; men have turned to “lions” and “wolves” running about with insane wrath to destroy one another; the prophets give false visions and divination in the name of the Lord.
The wickedness of men has made them to become dross to the Lord. God is ready to destroy the wicked, because their actions are detestable to Him. The Bible says that God’s people perish due to lack of knowledge. The message of today brings knowledge to the reader. We are aware of how God feels about sins, and how God views us when we sin against Him. We are also aware that God will punish us, if we do not repent of our sins; therefore we have an opportunity today to repent of our sins and ask God for mercy.
May God bless the reading of His words in our hearts in Jesus’ name. Amen.
GOD OF MERCY AND COMPASSION:
A TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN HYMN
God of Mercy and Compassion
God of mercy and compassion,
Look with pity upon me;
Father, let me call thee Father,
"Tis thy child returns to thee.
Refrain:
Jesus Lord, I ask for mercy;
Let me not implore in vain;
All my sins I now detest them,
Never will I sin again.
By my sins I have deserved,
Death and endless misery;
Hell with all its pains and torments
And for all eternity
(Refrain)
By my sins I have abandoned
Right and claim to heaven above,
Where the saints rejoice forever,
In a boundless sea of love.
(Refrain)
See our Saviour, bleeding, dying,
On the cross of Calvary;
To that cross my sins have nail'd him,
Yet he bleeds and dies for me.
Prayer: Father Lord, we acknowledge that you are a righteous and faithful God; we acknowledge that you created the world to be perfect, and you made everything beautiful so that you will have pleasure in the things you created. We acknowledge that you have given us a hope to inherit an eternal life with you, if we faithfully do your will. We acknowledge that our sins have separated us from your love and protection and we struggle to enjoy the good things you created for our benefits.
Father, forgive us of our sins and have mercy on us; have mercy on our families and nations O Lord. We pray that your Holy Spirit will continue to teach us the right way to interact with you so that we will be reconciled to your love again. Father, help us to learn how to shun temptations and refocus our minds back to you. We know you are our God and we desire to do your will. Help us, O Lord, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Be blessed this day in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Many Deceivers Have Gone Out Into the World. Mrs. Noyo Edem
John 1
1 The elder,
To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
Many deceivers have gone into the world....
What is the mission of these deceivers? The deceivers or false prophets are agents of Satan. The mission of these satanic agents is to lead people astray from the righteous path that leads to salvation. This passage has warned us about the presence of these deceivers in the world, thus we must hold on to the truth of the word of God that we have received from fellow believers. We must also tell others about the eternal gospel of salvation. Furthermore, we should carefully work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and be watchful and prayerful at all times. (Philippians 2:12). We must continue to run the race God has set before us until we get to the finishing line. We should remember that there is a crown of glory awaiting everyone that faithfully serves the Lord.
Prayer Points:
Bless God for this new day; thank Him for being you God; thank God for the many blessings you and your entire family have received from God. Thank God for being mindful of you and families.
Commit this day unto the hands of God and ask for protection for you and your families and nations. Repent of your sins and ask God to help you to forgive everyone that has sinned against you. Re-dedicate yourself and your households to the service of the Lord.
Pray against every spirit of deception/deceit that has gone out into the world to deceive the children of God. Pray that God will give us wisdom to recognize these spirits and to reject their false doctrines. Thank God for answered prayers in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed this morning in Jesus name.
Amen.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Hopeforthefamily.
1 The elder,
To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
Many deceivers have gone into the world....
What is the mission of these deceivers? The deceivers or false prophets are agents of Satan. The mission of these satanic agents is to lead people astray from the righteous path that leads to salvation. This passage has warned us about the presence of these deceivers in the world, thus we must hold on to the truth of the word of God that we have received from fellow believers. We must also tell others about the eternal gospel of salvation. Furthermore, we should carefully work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and be watchful and prayerful at all times. (Philippians 2:12). We must continue to run the race God has set before us until we get to the finishing line. We should remember that there is a crown of glory awaiting everyone that faithfully serves the Lord.
Prayer Points:
Bless God for this new day; thank Him for being you God; thank God for the many blessings you and your entire family have received from God. Thank God for being mindful of you and families.
Commit this day unto the hands of God and ask for protection for you and your families and nations. Repent of your sins and ask God to help you to forgive everyone that has sinned against you. Re-dedicate yourself and your households to the service of the Lord.
Pray against every spirit of deception/deceit that has gone out into the world to deceive the children of God. Pray that God will give us wisdom to recognize these spirits and to reject their false doctrines. Thank God for answered prayers in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed this morning in Jesus name.
Amen.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Hopeforthefamily.
The Beatitudes, Matthew Chapter 5 Verses 3-12. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
he Beatitudes, Matthew Chapter 5 Verses3-12"Now
when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His
disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
God releases His blessings on people when they meet certain requirements for God to bless them. These requirements or conditions are exhibited in people's lifestyles, attitudes, believes and preoccupations. In other words, God examines how we interact with one another and how will interact with Him. He is interested in the service we give to mankind and to His Kingdom. What percentage of our daily activities is given to the service of other people? Do we care for people who mourn in our midst? Do we set out to give peace to other people by the things we do? Do we evangelize to people despite the opposition and persecution we may encounter from others? Do we humble ourselves before God? Are we kind and humble in our service to men?
These are some of the questions we need to reflect on every day. If our answers are "no", then there is an opportunity for us to start doing the right things so that we will receive the blessings that accompany acts of righteousness, humility, mercy, peacemaking, and love to our fellow human beings.
When I read this passage, I personalized every line and asked myself what it meant to me. As I reflected on Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes or Sermon on the Mount, I gained an insight into the message and came out with this summary: If I want to inherit God's Kingdom, I must first and foremost be "poor in spirit" which is another word for humility. I must also be someone who has been persecuted because of righteousness. If I want to be called a son of God, I must be known as a peacemaker. For me to see God, I must be pure in heart. For me to receive mercy, I must be merciful; I must comfort everyone who mourns around me, because I will receive comfort from God and man when I am in the same situation; If I hunger and thirst for righteousness, I will be filled with it.
The Bible instructs me to seek God with all of my heart, soul, spirit and strength. If I seek after righteousness in this way, God will draw near to me and fill me with his spirit.
The Beatitudes should be righteous principles by which everyone should examine their lives, and determine if they are following the Lord’s teachings and doing the things that usher in blessings into our lives and communities.
The Apostle Paul encouraged the early Christians to rejoice in the Lord always. Believers should rejoice no matter what circumstances they find themselves in. There will be seasons when we will pass through persecution; there will be seasons when we mourn, seasons when we are in distress or sorrow, seasons when we will feel completely empty, lost and lonely. In each of the seasons we pass through in life, we must remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We must draw close to God and receive strength from Him to overcome the heavy burdens that are wearing us down. When people are passing through difficult times in life, we should also be there to console, comfort, and help them to successfully overcome the hard times. These are times to remind people of God’s love and peace; these are times to encourage them from the word of God, and to read passages from the Bible that relate to their situations. These are times to pray for them and to show them real Christian Fellowship and love through our humble service to them and their families. Let us learn to be channels of God’s peace in times of trouble.
I will conclude my message today by referring to Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2 Verses 11-13:
"It is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him,
If we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him;
He will also disown us.
If we are faithless,
He will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
Prayer: Father Lord, help us to set our priorities right in life. Help us O Lord to imbibe the principles you taught us in the Beatitude. May each of us understand that we cannot inherit your Kingdom, be peacemakers, be sons of God, or be merciful, if we do not do the things that you want us to do as we read in the Bible passage today. May we learn to obey your words O Lord God, and practice the righteous principles of the Beatitudes every day until they become parts of our lives in Jesus name, Amen.
Have a blessed day.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
God releases His blessings on people when they meet certain requirements for God to bless them. These requirements or conditions are exhibited in people's lifestyles, attitudes, believes and preoccupations. In other words, God examines how we interact with one another and how will interact with Him. He is interested in the service we give to mankind and to His Kingdom. What percentage of our daily activities is given to the service of other people? Do we care for people who mourn in our midst? Do we set out to give peace to other people by the things we do? Do we evangelize to people despite the opposition and persecution we may encounter from others? Do we humble ourselves before God? Are we kind and humble in our service to men?
These are some of the questions we need to reflect on every day. If our answers are "no", then there is an opportunity for us to start doing the right things so that we will receive the blessings that accompany acts of righteousness, humility, mercy, peacemaking, and love to our fellow human beings.
When I read this passage, I personalized every line and asked myself what it meant to me. As I reflected on Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes or Sermon on the Mount, I gained an insight into the message and came out with this summary: If I want to inherit God's Kingdom, I must first and foremost be "poor in spirit" which is another word for humility. I must also be someone who has been persecuted because of righteousness. If I want to be called a son of God, I must be known as a peacemaker. For me to see God, I must be pure in heart. For me to receive mercy, I must be merciful; I must comfort everyone who mourns around me, because I will receive comfort from God and man when I am in the same situation; If I hunger and thirst for righteousness, I will be filled with it.
The Bible instructs me to seek God with all of my heart, soul, spirit and strength. If I seek after righteousness in this way, God will draw near to me and fill me with his spirit.
The Beatitudes should be righteous principles by which everyone should examine their lives, and determine if they are following the Lord’s teachings and doing the things that usher in blessings into our lives and communities.
The Apostle Paul encouraged the early Christians to rejoice in the Lord always. Believers should rejoice no matter what circumstances they find themselves in. There will be seasons when we will pass through persecution; there will be seasons when we mourn, seasons when we are in distress or sorrow, seasons when we will feel completely empty, lost and lonely. In each of the seasons we pass through in life, we must remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We must draw close to God and receive strength from Him to overcome the heavy burdens that are wearing us down. When people are passing through difficult times in life, we should also be there to console, comfort, and help them to successfully overcome the hard times. These are times to remind people of God’s love and peace; these are times to encourage them from the word of God, and to read passages from the Bible that relate to their situations. These are times to pray for them and to show them real Christian Fellowship and love through our humble service to them and their families. Let us learn to be channels of God’s peace in times of trouble.
I will conclude my message today by referring to Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2 Verses 11-13:
"It is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him,
If we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him;
He will also disown us.
If we are faithless,
He will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
Prayer: Father Lord, help us to set our priorities right in life. Help us O Lord to imbibe the principles you taught us in the Beatitude. May each of us understand that we cannot inherit your Kingdom, be peacemakers, be sons of God, or be merciful, if we do not do the things that you want us to do as we read in the Bible passage today. May we learn to obey your words O Lord God, and practice the righteous principles of the Beatitudes every day until they become parts of our lives in Jesus name, Amen.
Have a blessed day.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Sunday, November 6, 2011
What Is Your Testimony About Jesus Christ? A Reflection On Verses From John 4. Mrs. Noyo Edem
by Noyo Anthonia Kubeyinje Edem on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 12:08pm
13
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed,
the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up
to eternal life.”
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Noyo Edem’s notes:
What is your testimony about Jesus Christ? Do you bother to share your knowledge of the eternal gospel of God’s love, righteousness, truth, peace, salvation, judgment, power and eternal life with people? You will agree with me that the list of virtues in the eternal gospel is endless, and these virtues are as constant and faithful as our God is. The Samaritan woman met with Jesus at the well and she believed in Him, and she went on to testify about Jesus Christ to her nation. Many Samaritans came to see Jesus Christ; they listened to Jesus Christ and they believed in him and they were saved.
The rich officer who had the sick child trusted Jesus and believed that Jesus was able to heal his child. The officer’s child was healed, because of his faith in Jesus Christ and he told his testimony to his household and his family believed and was saved.
What are you doing with your testimony about Jesus Christ? You must tell people about Jesus even if you know that they will not believe your testimony. Jesus had problems with his own people who did not believe his testimony. God will send us to a people that will listen to us and believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.
Keep on testifying about Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Father, give us an utterance for your children this day so that we may faithfully and boldly proclaim the eternal gospel to everyone around us. Give us wisdom and knowledge as we interact with our brothers and sisters. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven O Lord in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Noyo Edem’s notes:
What is your testimony about Jesus Christ? Do you bother to share your knowledge of the eternal gospel of God’s love, righteousness, truth, peace, salvation, judgment, power and eternal life with people? You will agree with me that the list of virtues in the eternal gospel is endless, and these virtues are as constant and faithful as our God is. The Samaritan woman met with Jesus at the well and she believed in Him, and she went on to testify about Jesus Christ to her nation. Many Samaritans came to see Jesus Christ; they listened to Jesus Christ and they believed in him and they were saved.
The rich officer who had the sick child trusted Jesus and believed that Jesus was able to heal his child. The officer’s child was healed, because of his faith in Jesus Christ and he told his testimony to his household and his family believed and was saved.
What are you doing with your testimony about Jesus Christ? You must tell people about Jesus even if you know that they will not believe your testimony. Jesus had problems with his own people who did not believe his testimony. God will send us to a people that will listen to us and believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.
Keep on testifying about Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Father, give us an utterance for your children this day so that we may faithfully and boldly proclaim the eternal gospel to everyone around us. Give us wisdom and knowledge as we interact with our brothers and sisters. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven O Lord in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
"Salvation is Found in No Other Else." Acts 4. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
by Noyo Anthonia Kubeyinje Edem on Monday, October 24, 2011 at 8:31am
Acts 4
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’[a]
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
We should go out this morning to boldly profess our faith in Jesus Christ to the world, because this is the will of God that we tell the world about His Kingdom. There are souls that must be saved for the Kingdom of God; there are people who have not heard this gospel; there are also people who have heard about the gospel of Jesus Christ, but do not understand what they have heard and they need believers to help them to understand the gospel.
Therefore, we must obey God and like Peter and the other apostles we must go out to preach this gospel to the rest of the world. We know so much about the Kingdom of God, but knowledge that is not applied to accomplish God's will on earth and in heaven above is useless. We know that God has commanded each one of us to preach this gospel. What are we doing with the knowledge we have about God's Kingdom? Are we obeying the word of God and actually doing His will?
We know that God does not want us to live sinful lives. Are we doing our best to live above sins, and do we sincerely repent of our sins and ask God to help us to live righteously?
Peter and the apostles were firm in their faith and they did not swerve from the right path even when they were persecuted. Who is persecuting us today? Are we ready to stand firm in our faith for our Lord and continue to do His will? We must realize the power within the believer and utilize it to prosper the Kingdom of God. May God help us in Jesus' name. Amen.
For Those Who are Unsaved: We pray that God will touch your hearts and open your eyes to see the truth about His Kingdom. We pray that the Holy Spirit will open your ears to hear and that you will humble yourselves before God and accept His plan for the salvation of men in Jesus' name. Amen.
For Those who are saved: We pray that you will continue to profess your faith in Jesus Christ, and you will rely on the Holy Spirit to direct your lives in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’[a]
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Noyo Edem's Notes:
We should go out this morning to boldly profess our faith in Jesus Christ to the world, because this is the will of God that we tell the world about His Kingdom. There are souls that must be saved for the Kingdom of God; there are people who have not heard this gospel; there are also people who have heard about the gospel of Jesus Christ, but do not understand what they have heard and they need believers to help them to understand the gospel.
Therefore, we must obey God and like Peter and the other apostles we must go out to preach this gospel to the rest of the world. We know so much about the Kingdom of God, but knowledge that is not applied to accomplish God's will on earth and in heaven above is useless. We know that God has commanded each one of us to preach this gospel. What are we doing with the knowledge we have about God's Kingdom? Are we obeying the word of God and actually doing His will?
We know that God does not want us to live sinful lives. Are we doing our best to live above sins, and do we sincerely repent of our sins and ask God to help us to live righteously?
Peter and the apostles were firm in their faith and they did not swerve from the right path even when they were persecuted. Who is persecuting us today? Are we ready to stand firm in our faith for our Lord and continue to do His will? We must realize the power within the believer and utilize it to prosper the Kingdom of God. May God help us in Jesus' name. Amen.
For Those Who are Unsaved: We pray that God will touch your hearts and open your eyes to see the truth about His Kingdom. We pray that the Holy Spirit will open your ears to hear and that you will humble yourselves before God and accept His plan for the salvation of men in Jesus' name. Amen.
For Those who are saved: We pray that you will continue to profess your faith in Jesus Christ, and you will rely on the Holy Spirit to direct your lives in Jesus' name. Amen.
Be blessed.
Mrs. Noyo Edem
The Only Begotten Son Has Revealed God To Us. John 1:18-34. By Mrs. Noyo Edem
by Noyo Anthonia Kubeyinje Edem on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 8:28am
The Only Begotten Son Has Revealed God To Us. John 1:18-34
John 1:18-34
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
The Testimony of John
19This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27“It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30“This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31“I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33“I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34“I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
Noyo Edem’s Notes:
We have no reason to claim that we do not know God, because we have not seen Him. The passage of today tells us that Jesus Christ, the one and only begotten Son of God, who is God Himself, has made God known to us. Jesus has ‘explained’ God to us through Jesus’ testimony about God during his ministry on earth.
John testified of Jesus that he did not know Jesus, but “He” who told John to baptize in water revealed Jesus to him. Jesus is the one that baptizes in the Holy Spirit and he is the Son of God. God confirmed that Jesus is His Son through a sign-“the Spirit” “descended and remained” upon Jesus. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
Jesus is patiently waiting for all sinners to come on to Him. Isaiah 1:18:
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Jesus is the only one that can save us from our sins and redeem us from the Kingdom of darkness. He is the light of God that shines in darkness; darkness cannot hide from the light of God; darkness does not comprehend the light of God and the power that comes with the light of God.
By the special grace of God, we have become God’s children through our acceptance of Jesus’ Christ as our Lord and Savior. Therefore, we are children of the light and we walk in the light of God to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives. God has not left us in ignorance about Him and His Kingdom, but the Spirit of God teaches us everything we need to know about the mystery of God’s Kingdom, thereby equipping us with the wisdom, knowledge and understanding we need to function in our ministries.
Jesus testified of himself in Matthew 12:44-50
44And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."
Thus, we all know God because Jesus has revealed Him to us. May God be blessed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Lyrics: Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You
It is you, Lord
Who came to save
The heart and soul
Of every man
It is you Lord
who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength,
With thine own hand.
Lead Me on Lord
From temptation
Purify me
From within
Fill my heart with
You holy spirit
Take away all my sin
Prayer: Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Be blessed.
Noyo Edem
John 1:18-34
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
The Testimony of John
19This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27“It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30“This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31“I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33“I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34“I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
Noyo Edem’s Notes:
We have no reason to claim that we do not know God, because we have not seen Him. The passage of today tells us that Jesus Christ, the one and only begotten Son of God, who is God Himself, has made God known to us. Jesus has ‘explained’ God to us through Jesus’ testimony about God during his ministry on earth.
John testified of Jesus that he did not know Jesus, but “He” who told John to baptize in water revealed Jesus to him. Jesus is the one that baptizes in the Holy Spirit and he is the Son of God. God confirmed that Jesus is His Son through a sign-“the Spirit” “descended and remained” upon Jesus. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
Jesus is patiently waiting for all sinners to come on to Him. Isaiah 1:18:
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Jesus is the only one that can save us from our sins and redeem us from the Kingdom of darkness. He is the light of God that shines in darkness; darkness cannot hide from the light of God; darkness does not comprehend the light of God and the power that comes with the light of God.
By the special grace of God, we have become God’s children through our acceptance of Jesus’ Christ as our Lord and Savior. Therefore, we are children of the light and we walk in the light of God to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives. God has not left us in ignorance about Him and His Kingdom, but the Spirit of God teaches us everything we need to know about the mystery of God’s Kingdom, thereby equipping us with the wisdom, knowledge and understanding we need to function in our ministries.
Jesus testified of himself in Matthew 12:44-50
44And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."
Thus, we all know God because Jesus has revealed Him to us. May God be blessed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Lyrics: Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You
It is you, Lord
Who came to save
The heart and soul
Of every man
It is you Lord
who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength,
With thine own hand.
Lead Me on Lord
From temptation
Purify me
From within
Fill my heart with
You holy spirit
Take away all my sin
Prayer: Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Be blessed.
Noyo Edem
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