SERVE HIM< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Exodus 3, 4

Whenever affliction persists it becomes oppression; with oppression in place the ability to serve God is either replaced or misplaced. In < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Egypt, the children of Israel experienced affliction and oppression that made God call for their service unto Him. Are you under any form of affliction that is in the process of becoming oppression? The experience of the Israelites did not start in a day–it was a gradual build up. Affliction will not announce itself and it will always take its time before it takes your time away from God. The affliction of the Israelites started when a new pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, took over as head in Egypt. With the new king, a new rule was set in place in an attempt to reduce the population of Israel. Exodus 1:11, ÒTherefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh Supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor.Ó What is taking away your service unto God? Whatever is occupying a believer from serving God is a plan of the enemy to deny that believer from possessing his or her inheritance among the sanctified. Often, seeking money can bring a believer under affliction. Affliction can show itself in different, often comfortable, ways before it becomes painful and uncomfortable. When it was time for God to deliver the children of Israel, He sent forth Moses to them out of affliction to the land of the Canaanites. Just as God sent Moses, so He has sent His own dear Son to deliver us from every form of affliction. Ask God today to deny all that represents affliction in your life.

PROCLAIM HIM< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Luke 8:26-48

When Jesus stepped out onto the < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>land of Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee, He was met by a certain man who had been possessed by demons for a long time. Jesus casted demon out, and the man who have been possessed by demons, begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus instead sent him away. Luke 8:39, ÒReturn to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you. And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.Ó Has He done anything for you lately? In all that God has done, is there anything you want to hide and be silent about? To be quiet when He visits your situation is to disclaim Him. There can never be enough reasons not to proclaim what He has done or what He is doing. The woman with the issue of blood (after twelve years of agony) quietly received her healing by touching the border of His garment. Jesus knew power went out from Him when the woman touched her. Jesus wanted to know who had touched Him, but the woman decided to hide. Luke 8:47, ÒNow when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.Ó Unlike the mad man at Gadarenes, the woman wanted to hide. Has He done something for you lately? He deserves to be proclaimed. Hiding GodÕs miracle is not the best way of moving forward. Regardless of what it is, let the world around you know that God is still in the business of miracles. Someone needs to be encouraged today, be blessed by proclaiming Him. God will give you the grace to be a blessing today. 

BORN AGAIN< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Luke 8:4-15

Jesus Christ made it clear in the parable of the Soils that the seed is the word of God (Luke < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>8:11). The kind of seed growing in us as a believer is what will identify who we are in the Lord. What kind of seed is growing in you? Is your heart full of love or hatred towards other brethren? 1 Peter 1:22, ÒSince you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.Ó If in deed and in truth you are born again you are not of corruptible seed and hate will have no place in your soul. However, if hate, malice, and grudges have taken place in your soul then corruptible seed is what you are carrying. To be born again is to be of incorruptible seed that knows no hate but love. Not having an incorruptible seed will make our confession as a born again is a fallacy. Harboring bitterness to those that have offended you is a demonstration of the fact the seed in you is a corruptible one; you cannot be a born again with corruptible seed growing in you. The standard of the life of a believer is to love each other with a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith– that is what qualifies us as a believer. God has never lowered the standard of love and He never will. If you will ask God today to take away the heart that inhabits corruptible seed and give to you a heart that harbors incorruptible seed He will be faithful to His word that encourages us to ask and we shall be given. Be born again in deed and in truth.

LOVE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Luke 6:27-38

God is love. He sent His only begotten son because He loves us. There are many believers that go around with a diary of grudges and bitterness. In entering into church, they are the ones who praise the loudest. Indeed, it is good to worship God, but worshiping God in emptiness is worthless and does not amount to power. 1 John 2:9, ÒHe, who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.Ó God is not a fool, neither is He a God who does not hear or see. God has given His word and He has fulfilled His salvation plans for us. It is now left for man to turn unto God and obey all that He has commanded. He knows when love is not genuine and sincere. Loving has to be in His own way. 1 Timothy 1:5, ÒNow the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.Ó Love is what Christianity is all about. Many times believers have walked away where love needs to be demonstrated. Love can never be harmful especially when it is demonstrated with a good conscience and sincere faith. Romans 13:10, Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.Ó It is clearly demonstrated that diary of bitterness, anger, and animosity will not prevail; it will only unveil the owner of the diary to eternal damnation. Also, it will only take the grace of God to live a life of loving others. Ask God today for His grace.

KINDS OF BUILDING< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Luke 6:46-49

Acts 20:32, ÒSo now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.Ó What kind of ÒbuildingÓ are you? As a believer, we are like a building that is going through construction on a regular basis. All buildings are before Him but not all buildings are progressing in construction before Him. We all come before Him calling and lifting up hands before Him, but not all of us are doing what He says. So can you as a believer identify yourself? Luke 6:46, ÒBut why do you call Me ÔLord, Lord,Õ and not do the things which I say?Ó Despite that we are all gathering and calling on Him as Lord does not mean we have accepted His Lordship over us. We can deceive our brethren by the lifting up of hands or singing beautifully, but Jesus knows who we are. The two kinds of buildings that Jesus identifies are the ones that are in the church today. However, He pointed out that the ones that hear and do His word will stand in time of challenges. The ones that do not do His word do have a price to pay. Luke 6:49, ÒBut he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.Ó It is important for us as believers to know the consequences of playing religion than knowing the consequences of Jesus reality. The reason is that we will always be kept in constant check. Also, God is good and there are so many good waiting for those that are faithful in their walk with Him. Constantly keep in mind what awaits those ÒbuildingsÓ that are not hearing. You do not want to be a building that is going through the wrong construction.