2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13, 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, Psalm 48

 2 Corinthians 12:2-10:

In 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Paul teaches the importance of remaining humble while walking in purpose. Paul mentions that even though God had brought him far in his spiritual journey God had still left him with a weakness. God left this weakness to always be a reminder of where his strength truly lies. On this walk you’re expected to grow and to be better than before, but it is very easy to become overly confident in yourself and forget who is in charge. That spirit of over-confidence plants a seed for pride to flourish. The book of Proverbs states, “pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18).” It’s crucial to take a moment and perform a “self-check” along the walk with Christ to continuously remind yourself that it is not of YOUR might. It is by His grace that you have been chosen to do what you do and it is the Holy Spirit that enables you to do so.

Mark 6:1-13

In Mark 6:1-13 we understand that Jesus experienced rejection in the city he grew up in, the place he least expected such a response. This is to teach us that as we walk towards purpose, we should also expect rejection. Not just rejection from strangers but especially from acquaintances, loved ones and your own family. It’s a part of life, especially when you are doing what God has called you to do. When you are getting closer to fulfilling God’s purpose the devil loves to plant the seed of discouragement through the words and actions of others especially those we love.

When Jesus sent out the twelve (v.7-9) he specifically instructed them not to take any daily necessities along with them, not even money. This reminds us to trust God completely along the journey of purpose. We should not depend on what we see or have because it all means nothing if God is not with you. Where God has sent you he has also provided a way and provision. We are expected to be just as trustworthy and obedient to the instructions of God as these 12 disciples were.

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

Psalm 48

Twenty two years passed between the time David was anointed by Samuel until he became King of Judah and then the great King of Israel. Twenty two years where God chose that time to mold him and grow him into the man of God (God patiently and intricately used that time to work through David in fulfilling His purpose). Twenty two years to fulfil God’s promise to use David’s throne as the path to bring forth His purpose and ultimate sacrifice to this world, Jesus. David ultimately ruled as king for forty years and in those years, God blessed David’s household and all his land because David sought to do God’s work and bring honor, worship and glory of God to his land (2 Samuel 6). In those years, David rejoiced in the Lord and he was blessed. David grew as a King, doing God’s will and with that God was with him (2 Samuel 5: 9-10).

In Psalm 48, we honor the sovereignty of God. This is made very clear in David’s history. God in His infinite and supreme wisdom, chose David and his descendants to rule over all of Israel. Kingdoms and kings were built before the time of David, but when it became the city of God/the city of the great King, it became a greater kingdom. David understood God’s sovereignty and fortified the kingdom with the faith of God and made it greater.

Let us be reminded that God has dominion over this earth and over our lives. Let us leave it all in His hands and seek only His glory. With this path, we will be blessed in greatness and our descendants will be blessed richly.

In 1 Samuel 17, the Israelites were assembling for attack against the philistines when the leader of the philistine’s army, Goliath, presented himself. Instantly his physical appearance and the words of his mouth mounted fear into the hearts and minds of the Israelites. At the same time David, often overlooked and deemed unqualified, brought food to the battle ground for his brothers and captain of the army. As David heard what Goliath had said he was fueled with courage and strength to overcome the enemy. Though no one believed in David, he was confident in what he had learned while performing the activities many considered irrelevant (tending the sheep). David was filled with confidence in the God he served, and he knew that anyone who stood or spoke against God, would surely fall.[MEC id=”1428″] He trusted that the Lord would fill him with the power to overcome the enemy because he didn’t walk in the flesh but in the name of the Lord.

Psalms 9:9-20 reminds us that the Lord fights our battles and does not forget his children in the time of need. “The Lord is a refuge to those who know his name and put their trust in him” (v.10). There is no nation, person, or problem that won’t bow down to the name of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 6:1-13 teaches that claiming the name of the Lord and walking in that name requires sacrifice. We must let go of the flesh and choose to walk in the spirit. We may experience tribulation, distress, much labor, imprisonment (mentally/physically), sleeplessness, deceit, and sorrow, at times, but always remember God is with us through it all. Even if we don’t receive the reward while on Earth, we must trust that we will surely receive it in heaven. Though walking in the name of the Lord comes with a price, God is our support!

In conclusion, Mark 4:35-41 emphasizes that everything living and non-living bows down to the name of the Lord. Even the wind and sea obey him (v.39). Those in the boat with Jesus were scared; they saw what was in front of them and forgot who was with them. If we allow our faith to overpower our fears, we will allow the power, attached to the name of the Lord, to be displayed. He is always with us, just as he was with those in the boat in the midst of turmoil. If we truly believe He is with us and lives in us, there is no reason for us to fear.

If we call on the name of the Lord in our time of need or against any mountain before us, he will surely answer in due season!

1 Samuel 15:34, 1 Samuel 16:13, Psalms 20

The people of Israel grew tired of following God. They yearned to be like other nations and rejected the path of God (this is a great reflection of many of us who fall short in our faith and fellowship with God; trusting only the things we see with our eyes and yearning for confirmation of this ungodly world). The people of Israel sought a different leader/king and were given Saul. Saul fell short as a man of God (1Samuel 15: 10-13) and God rejected him as the king of Israel. Despite the people of Israel’s initial “rejection” of God, God still chose to have mercy on them and bless them with a rightful king who yearns after God’s heart, David (1 Samuel 13:14).

God chose him for his heart and not for his lifestyle or lack of royalty (1Samuel 16:7). David was “a mighty valiant man, a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him (1Samuel 16:18). “And the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward (1 Samuel 16:13). David was anointed and was placed in his rightful position, preparing him to be the great King of Israel.

Within that position, David’s heart grew with the love and understanding for God. He knew that his steps must be anointed by God before he made any decisions. In David’s understanding, he cried to God in Psalm 20, seeking God’s fortification. Psalm 20 is our battle cry when the storms are before us. We seek God’s help and yearn for him to hear us.

Our mighty God has anointed us and placed us in our rightful places. If we have not reached that place, God will fulfil His purpose in our lives. Let us yearn for His heart and only seek His face. Cry onto Him and He will bless you.

Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalms 29, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17

Isaiah 6:1-8 reminds us that God is Holy, Holy, Holy and worthy of all the glory. Psalm 29 emphasizes that He is mighty, full of power, and our king forever. He is owed all the glory, praise and worship not because of what He has done but simply because of who He is. To be in His presence and fully experience Him, you must be holy in mind, body & spirit. Being holy is not just an act; it’s a sense of being, it’s in your thoughts, your desires, and in your words. Isaiah’s response to God’s presence was repentance and humility, as we also ought to be. Reverence the Lord as you would your earthly parents. Don’t reverence Him out of fear but out of love, for God is love.

Verse 7 of Isaiah 6 teaches that before you can be used by God you must be cleansed of iniquity and sin. Unfortunately, we are sinners and before the coming of Jesus, we were in bondage to the law and flesh. Thankfully because of the ultimate sacrifice, we’ve been adopted by our Father in Heaven, as Romans 8:15 reminds us. This adoption has broken the hold of the flesh and granted us freedom from the law because Jesus brought us grace and truth. But before you can truly receive this freedom, you must receive the holy spirit.

You are not a child of God if you are without the spirit of God. It is by the spirit that we are able to walk in spirit. You cannot overcome the flesh on your own and you cannot do the things of the spirit on your own. John 3:1-17 emphasizes the requirement of the holy spirit. Jesus spoke on the rebirthing by the holy spirit; rebirthing must happen to be renewed and considered a child of God. It is an honor for the holy spirit of God to dwell in you, as verse 8 states. The holy spirit of God goes where it wishes, so if it chooses to dwell in you, understand the honor in that. View your body as a temple of God, allow it to be a place that His holy spirit is well pleased to reside in. Consider the spirit of God that lives in you before every decision, because when you sin, you are working against the One that is in you: your helper.

As children of God, we should be continuously growing spiritually, choosing to continuously live according to the flesh works against that. Life with Christ requires continuous “dying to self.” Daily, you must pick up your cross and choose Jesus. Every second you must choose the things of the spirit and run away from things of the flesh. It is not always easy, but it is doable, “The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).” God knows how easy it is to fall into the ways of the flesh, but He has granted you and I a helper, the Holy Spirit. Psalm 29:11 tells us that, “The Lord gives strength to His people.” Therefore, with the holy spirit of God, you have been granted the power to overcome any desire of the flesh. It’s not by your might, nor by your power but simply the spirit of God!

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah was being called to the ministry of prophecy and gratefully, he accepted. Please understand that the call of God is voluntary, never forced. God gives a choice in regards to the “call,” he WANTS you but doesn’t NEED you. Therefore, humble yourself and take the call seriously; if it’s not you, it will be someone else. I pray that the will of God is done in the lives of each and every single one of us. May we not miss out on the call God has placed on our lives (Amen, IJN). When we come before our Father in heaven, may He be well pleased with our lives on Earth and may His will be fulfilled (Amen, IJN). May we all be filled with the holy spirit and live a purposeful life (Amen, IJN)!

Psalm 98, Acts 10:44-48, 1John 5:1-6, John 16: 9-17 

Rejoice and Praise the Lord! Sing aloud His praises and know that He is our God. Brethren, let us come together in this time of uncertainty and chaos and believe in Christ with His assurance that He is with us.

The troubles of this world may shake our faith. It may have us question many things, but our God asks us to seek His face, to Love Him, and to Love one another as He has loved us and continues to love us. With this mighty assurance, victory over these troubles are ours. 

Brethren, let us keep God’s commandments with the love of God in our hearts, and we will reap great things. Let us rejoice in all things and victory is ours. Let us dwell in His love and unity as believers and be assured that we are still worthy of His grace and love for as long as we seek His face and keep his commandments. 

To God be the glory.

In John 15:1-8, Jesus is referred to as the vine and us, ?believers,? as the branch. A branch stems out of and is nourished by the vine; without the vine, it is nothing. The branch is expected to bear fruit but cannot without the vine. Without depending on the vine, the branch is unable to fulfill its purpose of bearing fruit. YOU, my brother/sister in Christ are the branch that needs to be rooted and embedded in Jesus Christ, the vine and as well the Word of God.

According to the book of John 8:31-32, the key to discipleship is not only knowing the Word but also abiding in the Word; it is a continuous and consistent act. Jesus not only calls us as followers but disciples; those who will learn from him and teach others. Similarly, the CCC hymn 682, ?I hear the call of the Lamb, I hear the call of the Lamb, Jesus commands me to come, I’ll follow Jesus to the end ??, reminds us of our call to discipleship and our commitment to doing the will of God no matter the cost. 

As a disciple you are expected to abide in Jesus and to be one with him all the days of your life. You may be asking; how do I abide in him? Submit your heart, mind, soul, and body to him. Though it is not a simple task, it starts with a firm choice to choose Jesus over everything else. Once you have decided to choose Jesus, you can begin to form an intimate relationship with him and the Father. When beginning this relationship which involves speaking to Jesus the Son, and God, the Father it can seem uncomfortable? ?what do I say? How do I talk??

Though God is God, he is also your Father, best friend, and refuge. When you start to view God in this way, it gets easier to talk to Him. In any relationship, both individuals must get to know each other, which naturally and eventually, brings them closer to one another. Thankfully, God already knows all about you but now you must get to know Him. This happens by reading the WORD of GOD. Through the Word you are able to feed the holy spirit that lives in you and walks with you. Abiding in God requires you to maintain a solid relationship with Him on a daily basis. The benefits that one reaps of such a relationship will be discussed next.

As you begin this journey of intimacy and moving closer to God, you?ll witness progress in ways you couldn?t have imagined. Let?s take a look at Acts 8:26-40. As you abide in God, he will be able to lead, direct, and use you to spread the good news to others, which will bring others to true LIFE. You become a vessel for the Lord on earth as Philip was for the eunuch. When Philip undoubtedly abided in God, he was able to hear God?s voice clearly and lead 1 soul to salvation. 1 John 4:7-21 shows us that by abiding in God and becoming his disciple we are able to exemplify his character here on earth. If you truly dwell in him, he will download himself into you.

This segment of the Bible speaks on love and states that if love is seen in you, it is evidence that God abides in you! As you begin this journey, choose actions and thoughts towards others and yourself that resemble love. Every time you do this, you are glorifying and pleasing God. When people see you, they should see God. Love is the foundation of it all, let?s not forget the love God showed us when he sacrificed his only Son so that we have everlasting life.

Psalm 22: 25-31 reminds us that through it all we must not forget to give God the praise He deserves. Abiding in God does not mean life will be smooth and that trials will not come but even when it does, the praise should not stop; the praise should actually increase. It is a reminder to God of your faith in Him and belief that He will see you through it all. The fear of God is the foundation to developing such a character. The fear of God is simply: reverence, respect, honor and complete awe for God, which naturally leads to a loving and voluntary submission to him. Submission to God, founded on love for Him will naturally lead you to praise.

I hope at the end of this you?ve chosen to become a disciple. Take it one day at a time and in the end, I pray you are the branch that bears fruit!

God bless you.