Family Worship Centre

25/02/2019

18/11/2018

God never ceases to provide ways to bless mankind, and He mostly chooses people to be the vessels and conduits of that blessing. That's because being a blessing by giving to others brings such joy! When we understand that everything we posses comes from God, it's easy to take from it and pass it on to bless others. That's God's recipe for being a continuous channel of generosity and kindness, and blessing to others. He promises that by being a blessing we will be enriched in every way, which enables us to continue this cycle of generosity! And the greatest gift of all is seeing the recipients of our kindness and generosity thanking and praising God! We make His Name great by choosing to be His vehicles of blessing, and as compensation, He causes us to increase in every way! That's quite an amazing deal, especially since He was the One to begin the stream of generosity! A great way to look at it, is imagining a pipe that carries pure, fresh water. Even though that pipe is just the carrier or conduit of that water, there is no way it can escape being wet by it. That's just part of the process of carrying the water. Just the same, being a carrier of blessing will always cause you to be blessed, there's no getting away from it! So what are you waiting for - make giving to others your lifestyle, because it will perpetuate a steady flow of blessing from God, through you, to others, causing you to be gloriously enriched in the process!

18/11/2018

One of the remarkable truths that separate our faith from other religions, is that we serve a God Who's soul intention is to love us. He is a good God, and desires to be good to us. He wants to see us prosper and succeed in every area of life and in all we put our hands to. He also knows what we are up against in this world, and that we can�t live the abundant, victorious life He has for us on our own. We were never created to do anything on our own, not in our own strength, or by our own wisdom. We were created to be one in Him. Our inseparable partnership with God is what was purposed from before the foundation of the world. When you see the intimate relationship of respect, love, and devotion between Jesus, His Father, and the Holy Spirit demonstrated in the Word, you begin to understand the precious bond between them. Here's the most striking reality, look at John 17:21-23, "That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, ...I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me." From the very beginning, God intended for us to be included in this marvelous partnership. In no way are we equal to Him, but as we lose our selfish motives and deny the desire for our own identity, we become absorbed into Him. We live for Christ, His will and His priorities become ours, because we realize they are far greater than our own. There is nothing to compare to the inner peace and joy that comes from surrendering our all to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, living in Him, by His power and ability is exactly how it was always meant to be.

17/11/2018

Making a habit of delighting in doing God's will is the best way to kick fear right out of your life. Deuteronomy 30:11 says that wholeheartedly applying God's will is not too difficult to achieve, or too far away from our reach. Verse 14 says, the word is very near us, in our mouths and in our minds and in our hearts, so that we can do it. When we are convinced that God's way is perfect for us, and always intended for our good, delighting in it is pretty easy to do! And as a result, our hearts become firmly fixed! That means before we even face challenges, our minds are already made up about Who our God is, Who we are in Him, and that everything is going to turn out just as His Word says! That's how someone who is established in God's Word acts! It's also how we beat the devil at his own game. He's determined to incite fear in us, to make our faith inoperative, preventing us from advancing forward. But if we are constantly strong and established in God's Word, convinced of and fortified in the truth, he's defenceless against us. Job 22:21-22 says, "Acquaint now yourself with Him [agree with God and show yourself to be conformed to His will] and be at peace; by that [you shall prosper and great] good shall come to you." Make a decision to turn off the unnecessary distractions from the world and root yourself in God's Word now. Job 22:26, 28 says, "Then you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God. You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God's favour] shall shine upon your ways." Get ahead of the game, be the one who calls it as it should be, and leave fear trailing behind in your dust!

16/11/2018

Just before God gave this promise to Abram, Melchizedek, the high priest of God, told Abram he was blessed by God Most High, the Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth; the One Who would deliver his enemies into his hand. Abram immediately responded by giving a tenth of all he had, to the Lord. Now, scripture tells us Abram was an exceedingly wealthy man. He was rich in livestock, possessions, silver and gold. For him to give a tenth of all he had was a very big deal. What compelled him to so willingly and promptly give like that? I believe the more Abram learned about the character and nature of God, he understood his identity and position in his relationship with Him. Since God was Most High, it meant there was no greater power or authority than Him. No one could undo or contend what He established. We must remember Abram came out of a culture that worshipped and served many false gods. Not even one compared to the God he now knew. Learning that He was the creator and possessor of heaven and earth, meant that everything came from Him, and existed because of Him and belonged to Him. Then, to realise that this all powerful, all knowing God had made a solemn promise to defeat anyone who opposed him, stirred such a deep reverential awe and respect and devotion inside Abram's heart towards God. Of course he would respond to Him with a tenth of all he had. He knew very well where the full 100 percent came from, and he was investing himself right into the heart of this relationship. Just like Abram was fully persuaded that God was his reward and was forever bound to His Word, we should be too. The same promise He gave Abram, He has given us. Our tithe is a deliberate demonstration of our commitment to be locked into an everlasting covenant with our God, Who is our exceedingly great reward.

15/11/2018

Did you know rejoicing in the Lord is not a request, or a suggestion, it's a command from God! In case you haven't noticed, we are living in a world where we have to contend for our God given victory! It's ours to live in, but the devil is not going to stand back and just let you have it. He will manipulate circumstances and bombard your mind with fear filled threats to keep you in a place of uncertainty and fear. Don't stand for it! The devil is a liar, and God's Word is true. No matter what your circumstances may look like, there is ALWAYS hope in Christ Jesus. There is nothing His power can't do to bring change, and turn that thing around right now! When Joshua had to lead God's people into the land that was rightfully theirs, he realized they would have to fight for it! The problem was, in the natural, it was an impossible task. He had to take an entire nation into battle against an enemy that was far too strong and powerful for them to conquer on their own. The enemy was well feared, well skilled and made the Israelites look like grasshoppers in comparison. It's no wonder he was afraid. But God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous! He spoke these words with such force, so that they would cut right through that fear and pe*****te his heart and mind. When things look impossible in the natural and you feel overwhelmed, begin to rejoice! Listen, God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound, stable mind, that is full of peace! You turn the tide on the devil and trip him up when instead of reacting in fear of defeat, as he intended you to do, you begin to praise God and get all full of joy! God has said He is with you, He has healed you, He will provide for you and take care of you, so choose to ignore what you hear and see in the natural, put your eyes on Him and what He has said and rejoice! It will cause your mind to be in peace and faith, so you can speak God's truth over your circumstance with power and authority. It will allow you to be in a place where you can hear His voice and do what He tells you to walk in victory. Don't let fear immobilize you, fight for your joy -the victory is yours!

14/11/2018

In this passage of scripture, Paul is instructing believers on how Christians should live. As children of the Most High God, we are expected to be His ambassadors, to live right, full of power and be victorious over the enemy. Knowing the persecution and hardships we would encounter for standing our ground in our faith, Paul gives some powerful keys to living out our faith as people who overcome. The first key Paul gives is to rejoice in hope! Having a single minded focus of the hope we have in Christ Jesus will fill us with supernatural joy! Not only are we redeemed, made righteous, and free from the power of sin, we carry the power of God inside us to do the works of God! This is certainly grounds to rejoice, and this joy infuses us with supernatural inner strength. Then Paul says we need to be patient in tribulation. That word patient doesn't mean accepting defeat with a good attitude, it means refusing to give up believing what the Word of God says concerning us, no matter what comes against us. Patience undergirds our faith and keeps it strong and secure while the word goes to work on our behalf. Thirdly, Paul says we are to continue steadfastly in prayer. Prayer is our vital and powerful connection with God. James 5:16 says, "...The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [it's dynamic in its working]." (AMPC). When we pray the way Jesus taught us: In faith, by His Holy Spirit, and according to what His Word says, we will always see results! Matthew 6:6 says, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." The secret place of intimacy with the Lord is a precious place of refuge and reward. Spending time, like this with God, in prayer will always bring and evident results! Take Paul's advice to heart, it will cause you to live a righteous life of joy, patient endurance and a rewarding prayer life!

13/11/2018

Obedience is doing what God says and not just hearing it. When Jesus lived on the earth, He was completely obedient to His Father. He demonstrated that same willingness to do His will right to His death on the cross. What's important to know is, His obedience was not blind. He was fully aware of the pain and suffering it would bring. And yet He remained completely committed to His Father's plan for Him, because of love. Jesus loved His Father and trusted in His Father's love for Him. He also knew the object of their love was us. No sacrifice, even the humiliation of death on the cross could outweigh the joy of seeing us reconciled to Him. Just the same, every principle and wise instruction in the Word of God is completely for our benefit. It's God's great love for us that inspired each scripture into existence. When we understand that obedience to God's will is only for our benefit, we will approach His Word with the joy and honour it deserves. God's Word has the power to cleanse, restore and completely transform us, making us complete and effective vessels for His glory. Just as we were created to be. The only sacrifice involved is putting our own will aside each day for His. Which is hardly a sacrifice at all, knowing that His ways are always better than ours. What's more, 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." That's because by His Holy Spirit, He gives us the grace to obey them. So, like Jesus, choose to love being obedient to God's voice and Word every day, it will keep you in the very centre of His supernatural provision and blessing.

12/11/2018

When Jesus said these words to His disciples, it was right after He had commanded them to go into the harvest fields of the world to reap the souls of men (see Luke 10: 2-11). This verse was His supernatural guarantee that when the disciples went to preach, they would have divine protection against serpents, scorpions, and anything else the enemy might try to use to stop or hurt them. He was giving them special, supernatural protection against these natural dangers. In His book sparkling Gems From the Greek, Rick Renner explains this passage of scripture beautifully. You see, this verse was a specific promise of protection for those who would be journeying long distances or through rough terrain to preach the Gospel! Now, as children of God, we have been given the same commission, to preach the good news of the Gospel wherever we go. Just as Jesus promised His disciples divine protection, we are promised it too. Let's take a look at what Mark 16:17-18 says, "And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well." Not only is God's divine protection activated when we tell others about Jesus, He has promised His supernatural power to actively be with us to do the works of God too! If we choose to believe! Our faith in this promise will activate this promise and cause it to be manifested in our lives! The bottom line is this: Before we go anywhere for the sake of the Gospel, we must believe and actively claim the divine promise contained in this verse! And what a glorious promise It is! Don't be confident in your own strength or ability, have faith in God, and through His Holy Spirit, operate in His power and protection everywhere you go!