Tag: Truth

“Truth in the inward parts”, the highway to God of Truth’s Conditional Promises

Key scriptures: Romans 8:31-32, Psalm 51:6, John 14:21,23

Joshua said to the Israelites

“Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the LORD your God has come true. Not a single one has failed!”(Joshua 23:14 NLT).

Joshua’s words affirm what is true, we serve a God who does not lie period!

“he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”(Isa.15:29 NLT).

He is a God of Truth, this is why His Spirit is also named by Christ as the Spirit of Truth.

“He is the Spirit of Truth who leads into all truth…” (John 14:17 NLT).

The fact that He is a God of Truth is a delight to the ears of the believer in Christ as myself and a spring in our step when we focus on scriptures that speak of His blessed promises to us. These includes His faithfulness to provide for and protect us.

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” (James 1:17 NLT).

Caution! His truth is not only demonstrated when He fulfils His blessed promises as Joshua articulated so well when he said to the Israelites:

“But as surely as the LORD your God has given you the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him. He will completely destroy you from this good land he has given you. (Joshua 23:15 NLT).

There are those among believers in Christ who subconsciously as well as consciously do not serve the God of Truth wholeheartedly.

Consciously, some profess to be God’s children but pick and choose which of His scriptures to obey or disobey. In addition, they would interpret certain scriptures to suit their carnal longings and desires deceiving themselves and others but certainly not God.

Despite the aforementioned, such people require God to serve them wholeheartedly and in fact demand it! They pray and quote scriptures back at Him expecting Him to fulfil their every wish and command! If they do not receive answers to their prayers and in their timing, they become angry with God and often times people around them become victims of their wrath.

As a believer in Christ, I confess to haven been among the subconscious category of people who did not serve God wholeheartedly. I use the past tense because I hope I have overcome that tendency, if not, may God continue to help me do so.

I recall I would be recurrently engaging in sinful acts whether large or small based on my mindset and decisions (I later realised that some were rooted in not only personal sins but generational iniquities) I would take unaware that despite a consciously fervent life in Christ, such acts were contrary to God’s will and were therefore the reasons why blockages to sustained peace and answers to prayers were taking place.

In fact I blamed the devil, but while evil was certainly involved, evil can only have its way in the life of a Christian if they become self reliant and collude with Satan by disobeying God. Satan and his demonic army cannot have a foothold or an “entry pass” in our lives without our assistance.

“Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.” (Prov. 26:2 NLT).

Yes, some sins are glaringly obvious to us but from experience I know that there are some that we commit on a recurring basis that if but for living a life in fellowship with the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin and reveals hidden sins and iniquities, exposes God’s truth contrasting it with our self deception and Satan’s lies, they would remain hidden. I thank God for His powerful Holy Spirit in my life.

Satan and the flesh nature under satanic control majors in hiddenness, meaning they scheme to ensure people, including Christians stay in darkness and are never enlightened to Elohim’s truth.

This is how the kingdom of darkness (Satan’s) founded and built on lies about humanity and the world advances.

“God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.” (John 3:19 NLT).

David, the son of Jesse who become king of Israel knew about his own personal fragility and valued his relationship with God to the point that he did not want his sinful ways, pretensions and presumptions that would be exposed as lies to serve as obstacles to his intimate relationship with God. Therefore He prayed in this manner which certainly appeals to me:

“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.

Then I will be free of guilt

and innocent of great sin.

May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

(Ps. 19:12-14 NLT)

And also

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Ps. 139:23-24 NLT).

I state that this manner of praying appeals to me because I feel led to pray in the same way as it gets the job done! In other words as long as it is from a sincere heart, the Holy Spirit who abides in the heart of every believer in Christ is activated to answer by convicting the one who prayed if need be and enlightening them to the sinful acts, thoughts or decisions they are making.

I can testify that as one who is eager to make peace and so sustain intimacy with God by refusing to bow to my flesh and Satan through denial, pretence and presumption, I have noticed many times that the Holy Spirit has unveil to me my erroneous thought patterns, decisions and actions which I would not have otherwise been enlightened to.

This has caused me to exclaim in horror and feel the conviction and sorrow necessary to bring me to repentance and a resolve to change my ways with God’s help.

As God desires His truth in the inward parts of humanity, anyone who desires the same opens their hearts to receive revelation of His wisdom or the knowledge of his ways required to live a victorious Christian life (Ps. 51:6).

The Apostle Paul writes about God’s Spirit as follows:

“For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit..” (1 Corinth. 2:10-11 NLT).

Indeed we serve a God who reveals His thoughts or will by His Spirit so as to redeem us. His love is everlasting and He is dedicated to rebuilding our lives. As He said to the ancient Israelites so He says to us;

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines.” (Jeremiah 31: 3-4 NLT).

It pleases God that we His children would want to sustain our relationship with Him by desiring to know whether we are in sin and if so to confess our sins and ask God to cleans us from all unrighteousness; This is indeed what we are commanded to do according to His Word of truth (1 John 1:9).

God’s promises are true, however their manifestation is only possible within an intimate relationship with Him where we revere Him to the point of receiving His Word of truth as well as demonstrating it in every area of our lives.

“All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.” (John 14:23 NLT).

When obedience to God’s Word of truth results in God’s glorious presence in one’s life, it also means that all that God has predestined for the person is available to them. God’s promises are therefore conditional to our obedience.

Satan is crafty and will never leave the children of God alone, if it is not one scheme to blindfold us so as to deceive us, it is another; Satan will use every opportunity in this materialistic world to attempt to make us self-reliant or self-sufficient and think that we do not need to rely or depend on God.

This is why as believers in Christ fellowship with the Holy Spirit is absolutely crucial to us living Victorious Christian lives. By the enabling of the Holy Spirit, the disciples of Christ, who is the light (John 8:12) in a dark world, are able to have the “light of life” or know the truth of Elohim God and be set free by it (John 8:31-32).

Those who truly abide in God are therefore unable to live in denial or pretence because the Spirit of Truth has the liberty to teach them and remind them of the teachings of Jesus (John 14:26/15:26).

They have a choice either to obey or disobey the Word of Truth. If they decide to disobey, then the status of their relationship with God changes to their detriment. The Israelites knew this as they suffered punishment when they disobeyed God. Even an individual’s disobedience (Achan’s) resulted in the entire nation of Israel suffering defeat in the battle at Ai because of God’s anger (Joshua 7).

In Joshua’s final message (Joshua 24) to the Israelites before he died, he reminded them of their ancestral inheritance starting from Abraham and how God had delivered them from Egypt and given them victory over their enemies and the land of Canaan, then he implored them to throw away the gods of their forefathers and not to forsake the LORD their God. If they forsook Him, they would suffer the consequences:

“If you abandon the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.” (Joshua 24:20 NLT). Again we note that God is truthful in his plan to punish as He is in his plan to bless.

The Israelites then assured Joshua repetitively that they will not forsake the LORD, but would serve Him (Josh. 24:21-24). Joshua put a large stone under an oak tree near the holy place of the LORD and said that the stone “It will be a witness to testify against you if you go back on your word to God.”(Joshua 24:27 NLT)

As God will not tolerate compromise in worship because “…he is a holy and jealous God” (Josh. 24:19 NLT) so too He will not tolerate a lying people. This is because God desires: “truth in the inward parts” (Ps. 51:6 KJV).

In the New Living Translation version Psalm 51:6 a) is expressed as follows “But you desire honesty from the womb..”.

Honesty before God and men is synonymous with being a Christian and can be expressed as a cloak of honesty that is supposed to be a permanent attire of a believer in Christ because it is woven from God’s Word of truth and reflects the nature of God.

In human terms it does not mean one is perfect because no one but Elohim God is perfect, it means one has integrity of the highest order borne out of a heart that is constantly quick to confess and acknowledge Satan’s lies, self-deception and also quick to repent and embrace God’s truth according to His unadulterated Word.

©️7-Oct.2018 DENyamekye

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Snapshots of Glory – Word Focus 2 Day: Close Friends by Divine Appointment

Want close friends made in heaven? Allow the Holy Spirit to be your best friend. If Jesus needed a close circle of friends to walk with, twelve disciples and then three who were even closer (Peter, James and John) so do we who are his.

Seek the LORD and ask Him who should be among your close friends or in your close inner circle. Trust me, certain people do not qualify and also be warned that not everyone wants you to prosper or fulfil your identity.

When Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane, he told some of the disciples to wait and took three with him, Peter, James and John who were the only ones to whom he said the following: “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38).

These were the only three disciples he chose because they were destined to walk with Jesus in this manner by God. Could it be that there are people chosen by God to walk with you in different ways? Those who are mere acquaintances, close friends and some even closer? I believe so.

Not everyone should have access to your personal information. We have to walk in God’s wisdom and discernment in relation to how we relate to others. Although we are called to love one another, we are not to do so to our detriment, that is not love. When we allow people to afflict us because we convince ourselves that it is because we love them and we have no choice but to accept whatever offensive treatment they give us, we are in deception. In actual fact fear for the person is what is keeping them bound and in enslavement to them. The two greatest commandment of God are to love God, and our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-39). If we do not love ourselves the way God loves us to any degree in order to prevent other people afflicting us physically or emotionally,  then we cannot love them with the genuine kind of love, which is that of God.


Could it also be that as Jesus had Judas in his entourage for only a season because he served a specific purpose only for that season (which was to betray Jesus), that likewise there are certain people in your life and mine only for a season to serve a specific purpose in that season after which God takes them away? I believe this is the case.
In my experience even as a Christian, there are people who were friends of mine, in fact the ones I am thinking of approached me so we became friends but as I grew spiritually and if I told them what God was doing in my life, they would at the time be congratulatory but then after a while appear not to want to know details of things I have birthed to the glory of God. I told them those things not to boast but because as I thought they were close friends of mine, I could share and discuss with them without reservation about such things.
I noticed they would never bring the subject up and would become scarcer in my life, failing to stay in touch as frequently as when I did not have anything significant for them to envy or feel threatened by. At times I would discern in their voice and attitude that they were not really happy for me in terms of my breakthroughs or advancement to the glory of God. I thought back at one of them in particular and how she said God sent her to me in a time when I was quite distressed and she was a great source of encouragement to me and I do believe that God sent her for not only did she encourage me but also prayed for me many times.
However when by God’s delivering hand I began to change my manner of speech and attitude to one who was highly self-encouraging and unrelenting in fulfilling prophetic destiny, as well as being one to minister to her and encourage her as well, I realised sadly a change in her attitude towards me or her desire to be a consistent friend.
I never told this particular friend I did not need her encouragement and prayers, but something in her could not accept me anymore because I had changed. Honestly I struggled to understand and was often hurt by certain mannerisms and attitudes that surfaced as a result of me speaking about what God was doing in my life positively or refusing to stay in the “poor me, pity me” mindset and attitude.
I did forgive her as God gave me a depth of understanding as to why she was acting that way and I began to pray for her. However now having had a certain measure of God given discernment, I have stopped taking initiatives to sustain “close” friendships when I felt they are not bothered anyway to make an effort to stay in touch or maintain closeness. In addition, I don’t hesitate to let people be who start acting strange and think it necessary to pull away from me or those I personally feel led to pull away from if I discern that they don’t like the new me who I know is the real healed me coming to the fore.
If a close friendship begins to fizzle out and you know your conscience is clear and you have not deliberately hurt the person or are in anyway responsible, let it end its course. I have realised that at times certain friendships are for seasons and some people cannot be close to you anymore as you advance into the purposes of God. If you dare forcefully stay in touch with them it is to your detriment especially if you discern the spirit of jealousy, envy and bitterness which is their problem not yours.
Cry out for the gift of discerning of spirits and the Wisdom of God. In these last days, whatever you do make sure you are doing all that is humanly possible in relation to godly Christian living in order to stay strong in the LORD and in the power of His might! The people you hang around with, call your close friends or confidants will play a great part in determining whether you stay strong and on course to fulfil your destiny.
It is only in staying close to God in the power of the Holy Spirit that you will know who God has sent into your life for mutual personal and kingdom purposes, what these are and how long for. You will also know how to interact with people as according to God’s will so that you do not miss God induced mutual opportunities and blessings.
The Holy Spirit knows the wisdom and will of God and reveals them to us (I Corinth. 2). Much prayer for the fruit and gift of the Spirit will develop your nature to be as one who is shrewd as a serpent and gentle as a dove as well as one who has God’s perspective on things. The wisdom and perspective of God will therefore keep you one step ahead of the enemy at all times.
Satan and his demons are pacing about through people and situations seeking whom to devour. The Holy Spirit should therefore be our closest or best friend first and foremost and through him we will be able to discern or know who should be our confidant or close friend. In addition the Holy Spirit will give us sensitivity as to where we should and should not go. We are therefore protected from danger and opening ourselves up to situations which include alliances that are not God’s will for us.
I can testify that God has been bringing me genuine friends who are excited about and share my vision as I do theirs because we understand each other as we are equally yoked spiritually. By this I mean that the Holy Spirit is as much their best friend as he is mine.
Thank you Holy Spirit!
Come Holy Spirit, have your way! God we ask for a greater measure of the gift of discerning of spirits this day, so as to know who we should walk with closely.
We ask for God’s choice of close friends in our lives who are the type of friends we are equally yoked with. Change us if in any way we fall short of the type of friends you expect us to be to others.
In Jesus’ mighty name we pray Amen.

Poem:
 The Spirit of Truth
**
Truly on the road to nowhere are the walking dead masses.
With Father’s truth, you’re on the road to somewhere
on a daily basis.
Truly he will teach you to keep your eyes on what is vital.
With Father’s truth, you will gain faith as a shield of metal.
Truly he will release you from ungodly soul-ties.
With Father’s truth you will overcome Beelzebub, the Father of lies.
Truly he will ensure you no longer waste your life in a barren state
and that you live a fruitful life to Father’s taste.
Receive the Spirit of Truth.
Scriptural inspiration: John 14:26, John 16:13
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16:13 NLT).
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative–that is, the Holy Spirit–he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26 NLT).

Note: This devotional is an excerpt from the book Wielding the Sword of the Spirit (Chapter 9) by Deborah Esther Nyamekye (Amazon Books online). Chapter by Chapter it contains devotionals or encouraging articles about diverse topics such as prayer, peace, sacrificial living and worship. Each chapter ends with a poem that relates to the devotional.

©2018 Deborah E. Nyamekye

Petition & Praise: Self-sacrifice and Surrender

Deliver me from every deception O LORD, my Father!

You desire truth in the inward parts.

You are the only one who cleanses my soul.

I offer myself to you once again as a living sacrifice.

I give you my heart in exchange for your truth, never to be re-sold.

All within me bows before you. My entrails hail you as LORD!

My knees bend on their own accord. Freely my mouth utters praises and my body willingly follows your leading.

Fastened by your Word, I abide in your presence forevermore.

Scriptural inspiration:

“Buy the truth, and do not sell it” Prov. 23:23

“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts” (Psa.51:6)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2 KJV)

Eruption!

EruptionIn John 8:32, disciples of Jesus are told by him that they shall know the truth and the truth shall set them free! May we receive the eruption of truth (and therefore its transforming power) that comes to us from the indwelling Holy Spirit!

 

My Heart, My God! 

The chosen day of congregational worship is not what God will use to judge me but the condition of my heart. What I bring to God in terms of financial offering or good works that everyone sees is not as important to Him as the state or condition of my heart before him (Isa.1:10-17); I’m I obedient to His commands? Do I treat people as I would like to be treated?
If I engage in rituals which have pagan roots knowing full well this is the case then I am guilty of compromise, as the kings of Israel who knew they had the authority to remove the high places of idolatrous worship but did not while at the same time worshipping Yahweh, also as the person who knows it is called “stealing” when they engage in the act of taking pens or notebooks from their place of work even though they make excuses for doing so. John 8:32 states “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”. Complete freedom lies in honestly applying the truth that one knows so that one is set free. Likewise, we are told in scripture that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14-26). You can say you have faith in God, but do your fruits or actions confirm that you do or is it just lip service?

As the Pharisees in the time of Jesus, if we want to be baptised and have the genuine title of a people of God then we have to produce fruit that shows we have repented. John the Baptist said to the Pharisees as they watched him baptizing:

8Produce fruit worthy of repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The ax lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:8-10 Berean Study Bible).

There is a saying that is expressed as follows “show me your friends and I will show you your character”. By our fruit people will know whether we are children of God or not (Matt.7:16). Do people you allow among your close circle of friends have the same belief systems as you? By this I mean do they live to please God, men or self? However strong you think you are, know that you are capable of being influenced one way or another by people, society and events around you and even more so by those close to you and whatever society or events they form alliances with.

Brethren, my message today is this “Let us beware and be aware of God’s key requirements and so guard our hearts “above all else, for it determines the course of your life.(Prov.4:23 NLT)””

©Jan2017 Deborah E.Nyamekye