ICGC- Praise Temple - Agona Swedru

ICGC- Praise Temple - Agona Swedru Raising Leaders, Shaping Vision and Influencing Society through Christ

06/12/2022

The Blessing of Gratitude

The rewards are great for those who consistently demonstrate gratefulness to God.

Colossians 2:6-7

Bringing our requests to God through prayer is just one aspect of our communication with Him. Another part of prayer—which is frequently overlooked—is thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6).

The Father wants His children’s lives to be characterized by gratefulness. His Word tells us that an appreciative attitude should be evident in our worship (Ps. 95:2-7; Col. 3:16), giving (2 Cor. 9:12), relationships (Phil. 1:1-3), and the way we approach spiritual battles (1 Cor. 15:55-57). In other words, thankfulness should permeate everything we do (Rom. 14:6).

In the Scriptures, the Lord actually mandates our gratitude because He knows how being grateful affects the heart. Expressing thanks to God helps us . . .

Be aware of His presence.

Focus on Jesus Christ and diminish our pride.

Look for His purpose in challenging situations.

Remember His goodness.

Depend on Him continually.

Replace anxiety with peace and joy.

When we maintain an attitude of thanksgiving in both happy and difficult seasons, our life will feel purposeful and fulfilling. But more importantly, God will be glorified. Ask Him to bring blessings to mind so you can say “Thank You.”

Bible in One Year: Romans 7-9

Developing ConvictionsLearning the Bible is essential for Christians, but so is being able to explain why we believe its...
27/01/2022

Developing Convictions

Learning the Bible is essential for Christians, but so is being able to explain why we believe its doctrines.

Colossians 2:1-8

A seedling needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall, sturdy tree. In the same way, our convictions develop gradually through committed Bible study and prayer. In order to be firmly planted in biblical truth, we can’t simply hold up the Bible and claim we believe every word. We need to know why we’re convinced that the basic doctrines of the faith are true.

Here are some questions to help you get started:

• Why do you consider the Bible to be true and trustworthy?

• Why is Jesus Christ the only way to be saved?

• What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of believers and unbelievers?

• What does the Bible say about stewardship of the earth?

• How should you think and act with regard to issues of justice and oppression?

It’s my hope that these questions will cause you to contemplate how your personal philosophies have developed. Study the Bible and make it the cornerstone of your thinking. Evaluate what God says rather than looking at an issue through the lens of personal preference. Ground yourself in Scripture. Then whenever a new philosophy comes along, you’ll be able to stand firm in the faith without wavering.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 31-33

Joyful WitnessChristians are called to be witnesses for Christ, meaning that we openly share the good news with the worl...
14/12/2021

Joyful Witness

Christians are called to be witnesses for Christ, meaning that we openly share the good news with the world.

1 John 1:1-4

Christians are called to be Jesus’ witnesses (Acts 1:8). This doesn’t mean we need eloquence or charisma in order to explain the good news to others. A witness is simply someone who testifies to what he has seen, heard, or experienced. That’s what John did in the opening of his letter. He shared his first-hand knowledge of having been with Jesus and how that made his joy complete.

If you’ve ever shared the gospel with someone who gladly accepted Christ as Savior, you’ve probably experienced fullness of joy. Yet even if your message was not received by the other person, there’s a joyful satisfaction in carrying out Jesus’ command to tell others about Him. But if your main concern is how you are viewed, there will be no elation. Instead of rejoicing in the opportunity, you’ll likely be critiquing your explanation of the gospel.

Witnessing is not a matter of persuasiveness or verbal skill. Rather, it’s an overflow of your love for Jesus Christ, along with a desire to invite people to know Him. As you allow the Holy Spirit to increasingly express His life and power through you, your joy will overflow and touch others.

Bible in One Year: 1 Thessalonians 1-5

The Reward of RelinquishmentGenesis 22:1-18When God asks us to surrender our will to His, it’s our job to trust He will ...
22/09/2021

The Reward of Relinquishment
Genesis 22:1-18

When God asks us to surrender our will to His, it’s our job to trust He will show us the way (Prov. 3:5-6). I’ve learned that, while it’s a struggle to put everything on the altar, we don’t have to understand how God will accomplish His plans. Telling God “no” because we first want to understand why amounts to getting in our own way. But when we say “yes,” He can pour out His goodness and reward our obedience.

Today’s passage shows a remarkable example of relinquishment. Abraham’s deep faith in God’s trustworthiness allowed him to obey and offer up what was most precious to him: his son Isaac. As a result, the Lord provided a substitutionary sacrifice that day and also promised Abraham countless descendants, one of whom would be Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind.

God shouldn’t be mistaken for a parent who withholds a treat until the child complies. Rather, obedience positions us to receive what He is already trying to give us—and to accomplish what He has in mind for our life. So, when we fail to trust God enough to do what He says, we could be closing ourselves off from those good things.

What has the Lord told you to do? Have you only partially cooperated, or have you relinquished your need to understand and obeyed completely? If the Lord says to give, know that you too can trust Him to provide.

Bible in One Year: Amos 1-4

16/09/2021

Caring for Your Conscience
1 Timothy 1:3-7

Yesterday we looked at how powerful our conscience can be, but even this divinely bestowed moral compass can be swayed by our thoughts, experiences, and background. What matters most is the amount of truth that informs it.

Since Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), trusting Him is the first step toward developing a good conscience. When He comes into our life, He gives us a new heart and mind, which can understand and apply truth. Things we once considered acceptable, we now recognize as sinful.

We also have the truth of God’s Word. As we let Scripture fill our mind, our “monitoring system” is sharpened. Then we filter thoughts and actions through the grid of God’s standard for right and wrong.

In addition, we have been given the Holy Spirit, who works with our conscience to assist us in discriminating between righteousness and sin. He also interprets Scripture for us and prompts us to apply it accurately to our life.

Thankfully, the Lord has given us everything we need to develop a good conscience, which is essential for living a godly life.

Bible in One Year: Daniel 7-9

15/09/2021

The Power of Your Conscience
1 Timothy 1:18-20

God gave us the gift of a conscience to act as a moral compass, but if we ignore it, we may suffer shipwreck. When writing to Timothy, Paul charged the young man to keep the truths of the faith and a good conscience. Ignoring either piece of advice could have put Timothy in danger.

The conscience is an inner monitor that judges our actions as right or wrong, but it is fallen and in need of redemption. Depending on how it’s been programmed, our moral compass even has the potential to nudge us in the wrong direction.

Paul himself is an illustration of this. His formal education as a Pharisee had taught him that Christians were a threat to God and the Jewish faith. His conscience had been programmed to see killing them as service to the Lord. So he passionately hunted believers down without a twinge of guilt. Only after Christ met him on the way to Damascus was his inner sense of right and wrong transformed and his life’s course altered.

We need the truths of faith to shape our conscience so we can trust it to lead us in the right direction. Take a moment to ask the Lord if anything is clouding your internal signals, and trust in His promise to make your path straight (Prov. 3:5-6).

Bible in One Year: Daniel 5-6

06/09/2021

The Danger of Shortsightedness
2 Peter 1:1-11

Did you know a person can have 20/20 vision and yet be nearsighted spiritually? That’s what happens when someone pursues short-term desires instead of the qualities God values: faith, virtue, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (2 Pet. 1:5-7). Biblical stories about spiritually shortsighted people caution us against sacrificing future blessings for more immediate gratification.

Take Saul, for instance: He was Israel’s first king, but when he decided his way was better than God’s, the Lord took his kingdom away and gave it to David (1 Sam. 15:1-28). And, sadly, David himself is another example. He had been faithful for many years but in a moment of weakness made a devastating choice: His desire for Bathsheba led him to commit both adultery and murder. Although he repented and was forgiven, the consequences of his sin impacted the rest of his life (2 Sam. 12:7-14).

To avoid the kind of mistakes these men made, we need to prioritize God’s long-term goals for us. In other words, we must cherish the eternal over the temporal and strengthen our faith with godly virtues.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 26-28

04/09/2021

Protecting Our Future
Genesis 25:19-34

Many people give little thought to the long-term consequences of their choices. As a result, they can sacrifice future blessings for the sake of present pleasures. But this is nothing new; we see it in the very first book of the Old Testament.

Swayed by his immediate needs and desires, Esau failed to value the privilege of his birthright. In those days, the eldest son received a double portion of the inheritance from his father, along with leadership of the family. But in this particular situation, there was much more at stake—the birthright contained blessings of the covenant God had made with Abraham. Esau didn’t care enough about his spiritual heritage, so he thoughtlessly sold it for a meal.

Being far removed from that particular transaction makes it easy to see the folly of Esau’s choice. But what about you? Are you sacrificing God’s spiritual blessings for short-term gain? Maybe you’re spending long hours working or playing but reserve little time to spend in God’s Word and prayer.

You can protect your future by yielding to the Spirit’s control and pursuing what Scripture considers most valuable: knowing, loving, obeying, and serving God. This investment reaps long-term blessings that continue into eternity.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 23-25

03/09/2021

Joyful Endurance
Hebrews 10:32-39

When you think of endurance, what comes to mind? We usually associate it with persistence through hardship, like the mindset of a marathon runner pushing through the pain to finish the race. Yesterday, we saw that Hebrews 12:1 encourages us to run with this kind of determination. The implication is that we are going to face hardships and suffering in the Christian life.

Our goal should be to remain faithful and obedient to Christ through every situation. That is possible because we know our suffering is temporary and we have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven. But in the meantime, we need the right attitude. Are we to grit our teeth, mutter, and complain all the way to heaven? Certainly not!

The writer of Hebrews commended the suffering Christians for their joyful attitude. They didn’t enjoy the pain and hardship, but knew that it was all part of God’s plan for their good and ultimately they’d have a great reward in heaven.

We, too, can endure hardship with joy in the Lord, who comforts and strengthens us through it and promises to bring us safely to glory.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 20-22

30/08/2021

The Father’s Resources
Luke 11:1-13

When you were a child, where did you go when you needed a snack, a bike repair, comfort for a skinned knee, or a referee for a dispute with a sibling? More than likely, you sought out your mom or dad or a trusted guardian, because God gave them the responsibility of caring for your needs.

But no human can parent perfectly, as all mankind is affected by brokenness. However, if you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are a child of God. So when you pray, you’re bringing whatever’s on your mind to the heavenly Father, who always gives what it right and best.

How much do you truly rely on God for all your needs? When you are feeling lonely, rejected, or discouraged, is your first response to read His Word and pour out your heart to Him? Instead of worrying about financial struggles, do you ask for Jehovah Jirah (the God who provides) to give what you need? (See Gen. 22:14.) If you’re suffering from a health problem, do you cry out to Jehovah Rapha (the God who heals)? (See Ex. 15:26.) Since God the Father gave you the greatest gift of His Son, He will certainly give you everything else you need. So come and ask.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 4-6

28/08/2021

Evaluating Your Faith
Mark 11:20-24

It’s a good idea to pause every now and then to evaluate our spiritual development. Although we will experience different phases of faith throughout life, our goal should be to continue growing. Which phase sounds like you?

Hesitant faith is characterized by struggling to believe God: We hope He’ll answer our prayer, but we’re just not sure. Sometimes doubts creep in because we’re looking at the situation, not at the Lord and His Word. Or maybe our problem is that we just don’t know what God has said in the Bible, so we have no real anchor.

Courageous faith involves stretching to believe the Lord more and more. Christians in this phase take steps to follow God and discover He is faithful to His Word.

Perfect faith is characterized by resting in the Lord, with confidence in Him and a heart aligned with His will. We are thankful as we watch His promises become a reality. Though we hope to practice this kind of faith every day, we won’t truly perfect it in this lifetime.

No matter which description best fits your faith today, the best way to grow is by regularly feeding on the Word of God. Cling tightly to His promises.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 1-3

27/08/2021

Growing Faith
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4

Faith isn’t a one-time event with the single purpose of ushering us into salvation. Sadly, some Christians never progress beyond this initial level of faith. But God wants our relationship with Him to continually grow.

Willingness to trust the Lord affects every area of our life—how we feel, what we do, the way He blesses us. In some ways, it comes down to our focus: When you face difficulties or heartbreak, do you notice the impossibility of the circumstances, or do you see the greatness of our Father? Another way to ask the question is, Whose voice are you listening to?

Our focus also affects our emotions. Those who choose to believe God experience peace and joy. But when we doubt, it’s easier for anxiety and fear to creep in. Then, instead of resting in Christ, we fuss and fume, trying to anticipate all possible outcomes and solve problems in our own strength.

We need to realize that our faith is of utmost importance to God, and He takes joy in seeing it grow. He can move heaven and earth to act on our behalf and answer our prayers—and He delights in our choosing to believe that. By trusting Him, we will discover new excitement and adventure in life. We’ll also see that our Father is always faithful.

Bible in One Year: Lamentations 3-5

Address

P. O. Box 730 Agona Swedru
Agona Swedru
0000

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when ICGC- Praise Temple - Agona Swedru posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category