LUJGM Gilgal

24/09/2015

Thursday September 24

“Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.” Php 1:21 TM

A Faith Perspective

Roman prisons were terrible places. Offenders were stripped, flogged, and placed in leg irons. Their blood-soaked clothing wasn’t changed even in the dead of winter. And the “inner cell” (Ac 16:24 NIV) where Paul and Silas were imprisoned was the worst. Lack of water, cramped conditions, and the stench of toilets (if that’s what you could call them) made sleep impossible. Prisoners routinely begged for death, and some even committed su***de. It was your worst nightmare! Yet “Paul and Silas were…singing…and the other prisoners were listening” (v. 25 NIV). In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases it like this: “The other prisoners couldn’t believe their ears.” Talk about impact! Paul’s attitude impressed them before his religious beliefs ever reached them. Let’s face it, anybody can sing in church, including hypocrites. But when you can praise God in the midst of pain, pressures, and problems—that’s something else. How did they do it? They had a faith perspective! It’s not what you have lost, but what you have left that counts! Paul didn’t just sing in prison, he wrote some of his best stuff there. Here’s his take on it: “Everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose” (Php 1:19-21 TM). What are you going to do with a man or woman like this? They’re beyond your threats. Their strength comes from a source that’s not diminished by outside circumstances. That’s because they have a faith perspective. And that’s what you need today too!

12/09/2015

Saturday September 12

“You did not receive a spirit…to fear, but…of sonship.” Ro 8:15 NIV

You Won’t Try To Intimidate Them

Joseph’s brothers “were…stunned with surprise. ‘Come over here,’ he said. So they came closer. And he said again, ‘I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt! But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it!’” (Ge 45:3-5 TLB). You’ll notice that Joseph didn’t react the way we so often do when someone hurts us. He didn’t: (1) distance his brothers; (2) enjoy watching them squirm; (3) practice one-upmanship; (4) gloat and say “gotcha!” (5) remind them of how they’d put him down and despised his dreams; (6) demand they acknowledge that he was right and they were wrong; (7) say, “I told you so!” No, Joseph wanted to be loved, not feared. He wanted restoration, not revenge. He knew that the long-term benefits of healing a relationship far outweighed any short-term satisfaction you get from retaliation. He understood that it’s only by releasing your offender that you set yourself free. The Bible says, “You did not receive a spirit…to fear, but…the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” The word “Abba” is a term of endearment which means “Daddy.” God doesn’t bring up your past, or keep you at arm’s length because of your failures. He wants you to know you can come to Him at any time, know that you’re accepted, feel secure in His presence, and call Him “Daddy.” And that’s the kind of love He wants you to show to others—a love that doesn’t want them to feel afraid in your presence.

30/08/2015

Sunday August 30

“He who heeds rebuke gets understanding.” Pr 15:32 NKJV

Acknowledge Your Mistakes

In spite of his faults, flaws, and failures, God called David “a man after [my] own heart” (Ac 13:22). And one of the qualities that made David great was his willingness to acknowledge his mistakes. Here were two instances of it: (1) When fleeing the wrath of King Saul, he sought the help of a certain priest—a decision that caused Saul to order the death of eighty-five priests and their families. Devastated but not defensive, David told the surviving son of the slain priest who had assisted him, “I have caused the death of all your father’s family” (1Sa 22:22 NLT). Can you imagine taking responsibility for such a tragic consequence? (2) When the prophet Nathan confronted him about his affair with Bathsheba and his attempt to cover up her resulting pregnancy by having her husband killed, David acknowledged, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2Sa 12:13 NLT). Would you have the emotional and spiritual maturity to make such an admission? Or do you have a tendency to defend your actions for fear of being judged, criticized, or rejected? Do you sometimes feel attacked when someone offers feedback, whether it is positive or negative? Do you retreat in silence? Do you counter-accuse or blame your attacker? Do you make hostile comments? Do you become sarcastic? Making mistakes doesn’t make you a lesser person, but defending them does. Don’t let pride rob you of the wisdom that comes from acknowledging your mistakes and ultimately growing through them. “He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.”

27/08/2015

Thursday August 27

“Meditate on these things…and the God of peace will be with you.” Php 4:8-9 NKJV

Always Keep a Good Attitude

When you’re going through bad times, your goal should be to keep a good attitude. And with God’s help you can. Dr. Viktor Frankl, a N**i Holocaust camp survivor, said: “If a prisoner felt that he could no longer endure the realities of camp life, he found a way out in his mental life—an invaluable opportunity to dwell in the spiritual domain, the one that the [SS] was unable to destroy. Spiritual life strengthened the prisoner, helped him to adapt, and thereby improved his chances of survival.” Here is some practical advice on keeping a good attitude in bad times: (1) Always believe the best about others, but don’t get bent out of shape when they disappoint you. Nobody is perfect, including you. Just be grateful for the people that bring joy, and endeavor to be counted among them. (2) When you are tempted to retaliate, judge, or become impatient, say to yourself, “This is an opportunity for me to model a great attitude for the glory of God.” You say, “But this person is driving me crazy.” Then refuse to be a “passenger” and go along with them. Take back the wheel, get into the driver’s seat of your life, and determine which direction you’ll go and what attitude you’ll have. The Bible says: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things…and the God of peace will be with you.”

15/08/2015

Saturday August 15

“The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a…friend.” Ex 33:11

Called to Be a Priest (2)

Not only do priests minister in three different levels of light, they operate on three levels of intimacy with God. The life of Moses is a great illustration of this. When God first called Moses to lead the people of Israel, He spoke to him through a burning bush. And when it happened Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight” (Ex 3:3 NKJV). God’s willingness to speak to us is never in doubt. The real issue is always our willingness to “turn aside,” interrupt our schedule, and be responsive to what He has to say. Could God speak to you during a commercial break in your favorite television show? He could—but He probably won’t. He’s a king, and He wants us to observe the protocol for approaching Him that He outlined in His Word. Next, God spoke to Moses on a mountain and gave him the Ten Commandments. And when He did, the entire mountain burned and smoked with God’s presence (See Ex 20:18 NKJV). When it happened, the people trembled and said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die” (v. 19 NKJV). Moments like that set the man and woman of God apart from the crowd! Finally, Moses became so intimate with God that “the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (NKJV). Imagine “face time” with God! What a privilege! And it should be the desire of your heart. It’s when you’ve met with God face to face and heard from Him personally, that you are equal to the task.

14/08/2015

Psalm 9....Please finish reading before you do anything else right now.

Read this to the end. My name is God. I know you will give your time for me. I love you and always bless you. I am always with you. I need you to spend 30 minutes of your time with me today. Don't pray. Just praise. Today I want this message across the world before midnight. Will you help? Please do not cut it and I'll help you with something that you are in need of. A blessing is coming your way. Please drop everything & pass it on. Tomorrow will be the Best Day of your Life. Send this to 14 friends in 10min. Tell the devil you are a blessed child of God and you have more to be thankful for than to worry about. We must go through the storm to appreciate the sunshine! This is a test to see who has more followers. God or satan. If God, forward to 14 people, if satan, ignore this! God is going to fix two things (BIG) tonight in your favor. Trust God.

Satan: Hahahahahahaha

GOD: Why are you laghing?

Satan: I am laughing at you.

GOD: WHY

Satan: So you say you love your kids and they love you too...isn't it?

GOD: YES.

Satan: So you are saying even the one who is reading this text right now loves you...?

GOD: Yes.

Satan: So then let's see if he/she loves you for sure!

GOD: How?

Satan: If he/she really loves you then he/she will send this text to more than 14 friends but if he/she doesn't, I will forever take him/her as my slave to jehanam.....DEAL?

GOD: Deal..

God told me to tell u that everything you're going through is taken care of. If you believe in him send to friends and family.

13/08/2015

Thursday August 13

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Pr 27:6

Can You Give and Receive Correction?

The word “correction” is not one we are always comfortable with. It sometimes recalls memories of frowning parents and painful consequences. Or we think of the risk of destroying a relationship rather than the possibilities of strengthening and enriching it. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” We all need someone to tell us the truth, because others have 20/20 vision where we have blind spots. Yes, someone may react defensively, but they may also be thrilled to realize you care more about their ultimate well-being than their immediate response to you. Corrections made from a loving spirit, not a self-righteous, “I-know-what’s-best” attitude are usually well received. If others sense you are genuinely concerned for them and long for a better relationship, they are likely to consider what you have to say and be open to making changes. Think of the courage Nathan the prophet showed in confronting David over his sin with Bathsheba. As king, David held the power of life and death over him. But Nathan loved David too much to allow sin to rob him of his destiny. God often uses us in each other’s lives to restore us to the narrow, yet rich paths of destiny that He has preordained. Looking back, David could say, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word” (Ps 119:67). There are times when wisdom says, “Mind your own business and stay out of it.” And there are other times when wisdom says, “Because you love them, get involved.”

12/08/2015

Wednesday August 12

“Go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” Mt 18:15 NKJV

Sometimes You Must Confront

Jesus said, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” Confronting someone requires these three things: character, courage, and caution. Let’s look at each: (1) Character. Since Jesus was secure in His identity and character as God’s Son, He was able to let go of the need to please and be accepted by those around Him. Being grounded in who you are in Christ, and in what your heavenly Father created you to be, allows you the freedom to confront people when necessary without worrying about the fallout or the negative consequences. (2) Courage. The Pharisees had the power to undermine Christ’s reputation, which eventually led to His death on the cross. But He told them the truth nonetheless. And you must do the same. You must be willing to take up your cross and follow Him, even when it means risking an argument and handling hurt feelings. To “confront” means to get in “front” of someone, look into their face, and deal with the issue honestly and lovingly because you value the relationship. (3) Caution. Make sure you’re following God’s timing and not your own. It’s easy to use false courage or bravado to challenge others in order to get your own way. It’s easy to claim a confrontation is necessary, when what you actually want is control. No, you must ask God to show you when, how, and where to confront others. Your goal should always be to reconcile and restore the relationship. So “go and tell him [or her].”

11/08/2015

Tuesday August 11

“What will be the sign of Your coming?” Mt 24:3 NKJV

Signs of the Times (1)

When the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him, “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” He told them things were going to get worse before they got better. Then He added these words: “See to it that you are not alarmed” (v. 6 NIV). Jesus used the word “alarmed” only on this occasion; it means “to wail, to cry aloud.” In essence, what He was saying is this: “Don’t fall apart when bad things happen.” For the next few days let’s look at some of the signs Jesus said would herald His return. Spiritual deception. “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (vv. 4-5 NIV). Notice, there’ll be many deceived, as well as many deceivers. Jesus also said they’ll come “in my name” masquerading as ministers of God and claiming special status and superior spirituality. They’ll boast of insider information and adorn their teachings with phrases like “God told me,” implying they have access to information the common people like you don’t have. Don’t be misled. Jesus also warned, “False Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect” (v. 24 NIV). Multitudes and miracles—when you see them, be careful. Satan can counterfeit both. Be doctrinally diligent. Focus on one question: Is this person pointing listeners to Jesus? There is only room for one name on the marquee—and that’s His!

10/08/2015

Monday August 10

“This gospel…will be preached in all the world.” Mt 24:14 NKJV

Signs of the Times (4)

Jesus said when we see calamity and apostasy don’t give in to fear, because they’re signs of His soon return. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (vv. 13-14 NKJV). Every prophecy concerning Christ’s first coming was fulfilled in detail, and so will every prophecy concerning His second coming. Our mandate is to work, pray, give, and take the gospel to the whole world—then Christ will return. Though the church is winnowed down like Gideon’s army, and the world is in a state of upheaval, don’t overreact. “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes” (Ps 37:7 NLT). God’s hand is still on the wheel. “The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men” (Da 4:17). Avoid Pollyanna optimism. Though you may be personally blessed, the world order as you know it will continue to disintegrate. But that doesn’t mean you should join the “Chicken Little chorus” and declare, “The sky’s falling down!” Don’t give in to the extremes of blind denial or blatant panic. When the bombs of World War II leveled Warsaw, only one skeletal structure remained standing on the city’s main street. It was the British and Foreign Bible Society, and on its walls was clearly written: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Mt 24:35).

09/08/2015

SUNDAY MESSAGE
TOPIC: The works of GILGAL
BIBLE TEXT: Joshua 10:6-10
PREACHER: Mummy G.O

09/08/2015