RHEMA From Heaven

Life is full of cares and burdens. We face difficulties, testings and sometimes persecution and suffering. All these cause stress. But God never intended man to live under such stress. That is why the Bible admonishes us to cast our care unto the Lord. See 1 Peter 5:7; “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” You see cares are not to be carried but casted.

Casting your cares means “to throw or roll upon your worries”. God wants you to roll your burdens upon Him. He wants us to carry anything that makes us anxious to Him.

Interestingly, many people today so often nurse their cares. They burden themselves with the load that the Lord wants to handle for them. For instance some people carry the guilt of sin, fear, sense of unworthiness, etc.

A story was told about a woman who was carrying a load on the head by a roadside. But after been picked up by a generous passer by, the woman still kept her load on her head whiles sitting in the truck. This scene surprised the driver, who later told the woman that “there is space for you and your load” so drop the load and be at ease.

Today, we can say the same thing about some Christians who still carry the load that Christ can bear for them.
Remember that, there is space for you and every issue you have when we come to Jesus.

Learn to cast all your cares unto the Lord. Refuse to pamper and nurse your worries.

Let go the guilt of sin; Let go your worries; Let go your fears; Let go your sense of unworthiness, because God cares for you. God is in charge, there is no cause for alarm. Hallelujah!

Read: Psalm 55:22, “Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

Study: Matthew 11:28-30

Life is not without offences, irrespective of who you are as long as you still exist on earth, offence will come to you. It is impossible to go through life without being offended. Though offence do come, how we handle it influences the end result of the offence.

To be offended means to be hurt or angry because of a wrong against you. You see, anytime you carry hurt in your heart because of something done to you, you are offended

Jesus had this to say about how we should handle offence. Luke 17:3-4,”Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” You see offences are not to be kept but rebuked (reconciled) and forgiven.

We live in a generation where retaliation is common. They have this to say when offended: “am not talking to him anymore”: They rain insults, they fight or write off a brother or sister. But that shouldn’t be your stand as a Christian. Although it is “natural” for people to pay back for an offense, Christians are different.

Every offence not properly handled will give room for enmity and many times open doors for the devil. Prolonged offences can also birth bitterness which strengthens sickness. (Heb 12:15)

Never act carnally to habor an offence or evil in your heart. Let love lead!

Read: Acts 24:16 “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men.”

Study: Proverbs 19:11

“First of all, know [without any doubt] that mockers will come in the last days with their mocking, following after their own human desires” (2 Peter 3:3).
One of the things that characterize this end times is the “spirit of mockery”. That is to let you know that, we are in the days where people will mock God, the things of God and the followers of God.

The word “mock” means to criticize and laugh at someone or something for being bad, worthless, or unimportant. It also means to laugh and make fun of something. It is therefore not a strange thing seeing people make fun and laughing at the things of God in this generation.

To some, believers are a mere bunch of people who don’t know their left from their right. Believers have been branded religious fanatics and sometimes called “unwise”. 
But this is nothing, than an end time *demonic spirit* to cause your faith to waver and to make you doubt the move and the power of God in this last days.

You see, don’t let people’s destructive criticism which is backed by the spirit of mockery affect your love and commitment to the things of God. Rather, in the midst of this end time antagonistic spirit of mockery, grow from strength to strength.

Be admonished by the word of the Psalmist and have nothing to do with mockers. 
Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers”

Have nothing to do with people who mock you for your faith and zeal in the Lord.

Read: Jude 1:18 “How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts”

Study: Acts 2:1-18

“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1:4 ).
It is no news that we are living in the day of great ungodliness. The facts and the evidence stares at us Christians day and night.

One truth that must settle in your heart as a Christian is that, you are not ungodly. This is because you can’t be under the “Lordship” or be under the “servitude of Christ” and be ungodly. 
Nonetheless, that can only happen when you cast off your faith and fear in the Lord.

You see, to be ungodly means to be “impious”. That is to say that, you don’t have reverence for God, and you also don’t live your life to please God but your own lust, and that of the devil. 
The Bible describes the ungodly as people who dig up evil. See Proverbs 16:27 ” An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire”

You see, if there is a way to describe ungodly people in simple words, one can say that they are people who go to the grave of redemption and dig up or dig back all the evil stuffs for which Christ died.

The Bible again teaches that ungodly people pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign Lord.
Nothing much will describe a person who is into immorality and deny the Lord Jesus, than the word “ungodly”.

Take charge of your life this end time and never allow any form of corruption.
Your duty towards the ungodly is to preach the gospel of salvation to them but not to engage in the same ventures with them.

Resist any attempt from all persons and influences that wants to push you into ” ungodliness “

Read: Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

Study: Jude 1:1-7

Sin is not something people do that is wrong. It is more than that. It is a nature, infact the nature of the devil at work in people making them sin. But as a born again believer you carry the very nature of God fashioned in righteousness. That is why you can’t practice sin and consent with sinners.

Proverbs 1:10 says “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

Sinners are those who are not born again. That means they live under the dictates of the devil. Thus, they sin knowingly, habitually, willfully and maliciously, and are given over entirely to iniquity, and who persuade others to follow their wicked example.

You see, being a Christian will not exempt you from being enticed by sinners. Sometimes their methods and mannerisms may appeal to you. Their fraudulent activities may get them some cash in a week, their immorality may get them a job opportunity in a day, but you must refuse to subscribe to their methods. You see, sinful methods are a temporary fix which will not stand the test of time.

The path of sinners is broad and has just one destination which is destruction.
Proverbs 10:29 says, “The way of the LORD [is] strength to the upright: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity.
Don’t destroy a glorious destiny because of sinners.

Be in charge of your life today and never allow yourself to deceived.
You have only one duty towards sinners: that is to get them saved.

Beware of sinners!

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

Study: Proverbs 1:10-19

The born again Christian has been freed and delivered from the power of sin. That means, sin has no power over the believer (Romans 6:14). The moment Christ became the Lord over your life, you entered into freedom (Galatians 5:1).

But now that you have been set free, it’s dependent on you to keep yourself from being under the bondage of sin. 
You see, even though the devil will still try to extend his influence to sin over your life, you must decide not to yield.

Psalm 4:4 says, “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”
Standing in awe is one way to keep your freedom in the Lord. It means constantly walking in reverence to God. This “holy fear” will help you not to “make a practice of sinning”.

You see, living in sin as a Child of God, is one of the greatest dishonor to God. 
Today, we have some believers who take God for granted. They lie, steal, cheat, get involved in immoral stuffs and still “take things cool” as if nothing has happened.

But the Bible says, ‘stand in awe”. Have reverence for God. Don’t treat God’s sacred temple which is your body with contempt. In other words, don’t corrupt yourself.

Remember that, nothing but a fiery judgment is what awaits anyone who takes “grace” for granted and uses it as a license to sin.

Refuse to bring yourself under any wrong and satanic influence. 
Walk in the new life and fight any attempt of the enemy to influence your life to sin.

Read: 1 John 3:8-9 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God”

Study: Romans 6:1-14

One of the greatest virtues you can express as a believer is joy. However, it matters what is the source of your joy. As Christian, your joy should be dependent on the goodness of God. Your possessions in life should not determine your joy.

Psalm 4:7 says ” Thou hast put gladness in my heart* , more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased”.

Having Joy, or gladness in the heart is God given. It is a great deception to think of joy or gladness as coming from the material gains or material things you have in life.

Many who have limited the source of their joy to external things don’t truly enjoy the peace and the sound mind that the joy of the Lord brings.

You see, let God be the source of your joy. Remember that, heaven and earth shall pass away, but God will not. What is more fulfilling than”being with God” the one who has no beginning and end.

The Psalmist said, “Be glad in the Lord , and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11). 
Let God excite you, let the things of God excite you. 
That’s the way, to keep increasing in this joy beyond materiality.

Don’t join the “company of the unbelieving believers” who only holler and put on a smile in Church or life when they have material wealth. That’s not real joy. In fact, joy is independent of all these “I have this and I have that claims”. Real joy comes from knowing God as your father.

Be joyful in the Lord!

Read: Psalm 35:9 “And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord : it shall rejoice in his salvation”

Study: Habakkuk 3:17-18

Psalm 8:4 says “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”
One truth that must settle in your heart as a Christian is that, God is mindful about you.

To be mindful is to pay special kind of attention to a particular person or something. It also connotes being inclined and willing to do something. We see from the above definition that, God doesn’t just pay special attention to us, He is also willing to do everything we need for us.

David after enjoying such glorious fellowship wrote in
Psalm 8:4 “What is man, that *thou art mindful of him*? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”
Know that, you are always on God’s mind. When you live by this consciousness of God’s everlasting presence, your hope in life stands tall. You see, the knowledge of God’s love and presence will cause you to stand whiles situations demand you to give up.

Know that you are more valuable to God than you think of yourself to be. You are the Lord’s treasured possession. In the sight of God, you are his chosen and special person.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light”(1 Peter 2:9 )

Know this truth and you will not look down on yourself. 
Always remember, you are imprinted on the mind of God.

Read: “The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron”(Psalms 115:12).

Study: Isaiah 49:15-16

God wants you to be thankful in all things. Your thanksgiving to God must be independent of whatever situation you are in.
1 Thessalonians 5:18, according to the amplified version of the Bible says “in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

One thing you must know is that, no matter the situation or circumstance that you are faced with, you must still keep thanking God.

Through all the changing scenes of life ,
In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still
My heart and tongue employ”

George Thomas Smart (1776-1867) captured this truth when he put forward the words of his song ”

You see, there is enough reasons for which you must thank God. For instance if you can read and in fact you are reading this message, you have one of the priceless things in this world that is life.

In fact, it is for the many victories and awesome works of God on your behalf that has brought you thus far. Before you cast your eyes on your needs and wants and before you take a walk on the lane of “ungratefulness” just take a minute to see the enumerable things that God has done for you and is still doing.

Prophet Jeremiah in his lamentations said, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not”. 
Don’t also forget that, God has not dealt with us according to our sins.

Remember that, God has indeed done so much that we cannot tell it all. This is why we must keep thanking Him and let our thanksgiving override all the troubles that we encounter every now and then.

Read: 1 Chronicles 29:13 “Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name”

Study: Psalm 103:1-5

In this world there are several ways to acquire wealth. Your way, the world’s way and God’s way. Whiles all these methods might produce results, long lasting, trans generational, trouble-free prosperity, only comes by following God’s way.

Proverbs 16:25 says “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”.
Not all methods leads to safety hence your prosperity must be by God’s way.

In Joshua 7, we see how Achan tried to prosper by his own method (stealing) and the end results was Death. 
“And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, *Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day*. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stone” (Joshua 7:24,25).

The sad truth is that, many are still following the path of Achan. 
They are using all manner of means just to grab wealth. Bribery and corruption, Fraud, Sex have become the order of the day. Well the end of all such methods is very clear;- “Valley of Achor”.

Always remember that, it is the will of God, that you prosper in all things. 
(3 John 1:2)

God’s way to prosperity is sure, reliable and trouble-free.

Read: And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and *that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand*. (Genesis 39:3)

Study: Joshua 7:1-26