Victory Restoration Fellowship

06/12/2024

Mind/Dianoia: Mark 12:28-34. Leterally, "a thinking through." Dianoia combines nous, "mind," and dia, "through." The word suggests understanding, insight, meditation, reflection, perception, the gift of apprehension, the faculty of thought. When this faculty is renewed by the Holy Spirit, the whole mind-set changes from the fearful negativism of the carnal mind to the vibrant, positive thinking of the quickened spiritual mind set.

05/12/2024

Fear of the Lord: Ps 25:12-15. Leader Traits: In every era, godly men and women have practiced the fear of the Lord. The Scriptures reveal several things about the fear of the Lord. It is "clean, enduring forever" Ps 19:9. It can be learned Ps 34:11. It is the "beginning of wisdom" and the "beggining of knowledge" Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7.
This psalm reveals several promises to the one who fears the Lord:
1. Guidance: "Him shall He teach in the way that He chooses" Ps 25:12;
2. Spiritual prosperity: "He himself shall dwell in prosperity" v. 13;
3. Future posterity: "his descendants shall inherit the earth" v. 13;
4. Divine confidant: "The secret of the Lord is with (them)" v. 14;
5. Covenant: "He will show them His Covenant" v. 14;
6. Deliverance: "He shall pluck my feet out of the net" v. 15.

03/12/2024

Perilous time and Perilous men: 2 Tim 3:1-8. Perilous/Chalepos: Harsh, savage, difficult, dangerous, painful, fierce, grievous, hard to deal with. The word describes a society with vices.
Paul exhorts Timothy to continue in the gospel in the face of a great increase of evil. In theast days, the time from the first appearing of Christ until His Second Coming, people will be characterized by all kinds of self-centred and unnatural perversions. Some will maintain an outward pretense, speaking the vocabulary of Christianity, but refusing the reality that Christian faith express v. 5. The power they deny is the heart of Christianity-the fact of a risen Redeemer, the truth of the inspired Word and the indwelling and overflowing of the Holy Spirit, working within believers and transforming thierives.

03/09/2024

PRAISE BRINGS GOD'S HELP: Ps 42:1-5. PRAISE and WORSHIP: When depressed, desperate, and down, we are encouraged to hope in God in this prophetic song. Worshipers are assured that God will "help" them with "His countenance." This word references more than the physical "face;" it incorporates the evidence of the feeling or attitude of the individual mentioned. The "countenance" refers to:
1. The appearance (bright or aglow, downcast or discouraged);
2. And, the attention (the face turned to a subject, eyes focused on it) with the appropriate expression responding to it (that is, with tenderness, affection, love, or sternness, sobered concern, or even anger). Here, God's caring countance turns toward the one who praises, and the praiser's countenance is lifted by His present love.

06/01/2024

Intimacy and Spiritual Breakthrough: Prov 3:5-6. Faith's Warfare: Two words in this passage are especially significant-the words "ways" and "acknowledge."
The word "ways" (Hebrew Derek) means "a road, a course, or a mode of action." It suggests specific opportunities a person may encounter on a recurring basis.
The most common "segment of opportunity" we experience regularly is each new day. It is as if this passage suggests that in all our "days" we should acknowledge God, and in so doing He will direct our paths.
Of equal significance is the word "acknowledge" (Hebrew yada'). Elsewhere yada' is translated "know," meaning to know by observation, investigation, reflection, or firsthand experience. But the highest level of yada' is in "direct, intimate contact." This refers to life-giving intimacy, as in marriage. Applied to a spiritual context, it suggests an intimacy with God in prayer and worship that conceives and births blessings and victories. Joined to our Prov. text, we might conclude that if in all our "days" we maintain yada' (direct, intimate contact with God), God promises to direct our paths toward fruitful, life-begetting endeavours; Jer 33:3; Acts 6:1-7; John 15:8-12.
Acknowledge: This suggests being fully aware of and in fellowship with Him.

05/01/2024

The Immanuel Prophecy: Is 7:10-17. This prophetic sign was given to Ahaz as an assurance of Judah's hope in the midst of adversity. It therefore had an immediate, historical fulfillment. It's usage in the NT shows that it also has a messianic fulfillment. The Hebrew word for virgin 'almah means either a "virgin" or "young woman" of marriageable age. Isaiah's readers could have understood it to be either. Messianically,, it irrefutably refers to the Virgin Mary Matt 1:21-23; Luke 1:27, where the Greek parthenos (virgin) removes any question. The optional form of the Hebrew word was essential for the prophecy to serve the dual situation, relating both to the Messiah's birth in the future and to a more immediate birth in the kingly line.
A Son to Isaiah's readers would have been an unidentified heir from Ahaz's house, perhaps his son Hezekiah. Messianically, it was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Immanuel "God-With-Us" was the title given to assure God's articulation in bringing about deliverance from the Syrian and Israelite coalition; messianically, it became a key name marking Christ's incarnation.

04/01/2024

Keeping your light burning in 2024, Jesus is coming back.
Lessons for dreamers from the life of Joseph, prophetic dreams and visions. Joseph held to the vision God gave him for his life. It kept him through everything he experienced. He was restrained from sin, redeemed from sorrow, and restored to honour by holding on to the dreams from God. Here are five guidelines we learn from Joseph:
1. We need to, "Recieved God's promise with childlike faith" Gen 37:5-1;
2. Make the best of bad situations Gen 39:4, 21;
3. Stand with integrity in trails and temptations v. 9;
4. Walk in humility before God and man Gen 41:14-57;
See everything in life from God's perspective Gen 45:7-50:20.

28/12/2023

Keys to Godly Relatioships: A major emphasis of Jesus' teaching is how to build and maintain right relationships with God and others. He views these relationships as neither unimportant nor extraneous, but as vital components of our Christian lives. Knowing God is our highest priority, but this pursuit should ot replace or diminish our interpersonal relationships with others. Rather, our personal interaction with God should produce that build and sustain all our relationship.
Practice instant reconciliation. Understand that conflicts cause much greater damage to relationships when left unresolved
Love by choice, not by circumstance. Remember to overcome evil through love and good.
Understand that God forgive us our sins as we forgive others who have sinned against us. Adopt the forgiveness of others into your prayer life as a daily discipline.
Refrain from judging others. Be diligent to ask the Lord to examine your own heart, and be faithful to respond to His conviction.
Avoid striving for public recognition. Seek to walk in humility in every situation .

23/12/2023

Faithful Mother: Obedient Disciple (Mary) Biblical Women. There is a wonder surrounding Mary, mother of Jesus, that transcends traditional religious thought. That she was a privileged vessel, chosen to bear God's Son, is wonder enough, for she is a participant in the miracle of the Incarnation at a level no other human being can comprehend. It is clear that she did not claim to understand herself , but simply worship God in humble acknowledgment of the phenomenon engulfing her existence: "My soul magnifies the Lord," she exclaims v. 46. We can hardly fathom the bewildering moments she experienced:
1. When Simeon prophesied future mental/emotional suffering 2:25;
2. When she and Joseph spoke with Jesus after they thought He was lost in Jerusalem vv. 49-50; 3. When Jesus gently rebuffed her at the wedding in Cana John 2:4. 4. When Jesus seemed to reject her in His brothers' efforts at helping Him, though they clearly misunderstood Him at that time Matt 12:46-50.
These instance prompt our learning the wisdom of persistence and obedience in following God's basic directive on our lives, even when the details of the outworking of His will are unclear or mystifying.
Mary is also a study in the pathway forward in God's will. She might have sought elevation in position among those who saw Jesus for who He was-Messiah-but instead: 1. She remained steadfast with Him all the way to the Cross, rather than protect herself John 19:25; and 2, she obediently joined other of Jesus ' disciples in the Upper Room, waiting as He commanded for the coming of the Holy Spirit Acts 1:14.
Mary is a model of responsive obedience, one who lived out her own directive to the servants at Cana-timeless advice for all ages: "Whatever He (Jesus) say to you, do it" John 2:5.

21/12/2023

A Godly quest for Equal rights (Daughters of Zelophehad) Biblical Women. Zelophehad of the tribe of Mannaseh, had five daughters and no sons. Thieir names were Mahlah meaning "Sickness" or "Disease;" Noah, meaning "Rest" or "Comfort;" Hoglah, meaning "Partridge' or "Boxer;" Milcah, meaning "Queen's or "Counsel;" and Tirzah, meaning "Pleasantness."
If we accept these women's names as pictures of their abilities, natures, or the adversities they had overcome, we see all the qualities necessary for the tenacity, tact, courage, wisdom, and grace they needed to request-and receive-an inheritance for themselves.
Their presentation of their case to Moses and the leaders of Isreal v. 2, when the land was being divided to the tribes, is the Bible's first instance of an appeal for equal rights for women.
The power of their example is in their wisdom of trusting God to see that they were not denied. All five daughters manifest a balance between a spirit of confrontation and a spirit of cooperation.
The former is illustrated by their attack on injustice and the latter by their compliance with the elders' decision Num 36:2-12 that they should marry within their tribe. God defended them Num 27:7 when they allowed Him to be their Deliverer/Provider. They reveal a contemporary pathway to overcoming inequality while sustaining a godly spirit.

21/12/2023

Time for celebration: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men: Lk 2:14.
In the highest refers not to the lightest degree, but to the highest realm, heaven. Goodwill: toward men of goodwill. People cannot be at peace with each other until they are at peace with God.
Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! Lk 19:38.

17/05/2023