Topic: Jesus In The Flesh – Monday October 23, 2017.

John 14:28 “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”

Text: John 14:28

Jesus stated His union with the Father so clearly that He was accused of blasphemy more than once. This statement about the Father being greater than Jesus must harmonize, not contradict other claims.

A key to understanding this is given in Philippians 2:6-8, where Paul states that Jesus didn’t think it was robbery to be equal with God, but humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant (speaking of His humanity). Jesus was equal to God in His divine nature but He made Himself inferior to the Father in regard to His humanity. Jesus didn’t lose any of His deity when He became a man, but He did clothe it in flesh and submit it to the consequent limitations. In this sense, the Father was greater than Jesus.

Jesus is the pre-existent God who chose to become a man so he could redeem us by His own blood sacrifice. When He became a man, He was still one hundred percent God in His spirit, but His physical body was one hundred percent human. His body was sinless, but it was still flesh and subject to the natural things we all experience. The physical Jesus had to grow in wisdom and in stature.

When Jesus was born, His physical mind did not know all things. He had to be taught how to talk, walk, eat, and so forth. He had to learn that He was God in the flesh and accept that by faith. His physical mind grew in awareness of who He was. He had the witness in His spirit, but His physical mind had to “take it by faith”-the same way that we do when we believe who we are in the spiritual realm. Jesus’ mental comprehension of His deity was something He learned and accepted by faith. Jesus had to become aware of His true identity through revelation and knowledge. We must do the same.

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).

Topic: Fulfil Your Calling— Sunday 22, October 2017.

Memorise: But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. – 2 Timothy 4:5

Read: Romans 12:6-18 (KJV)

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Bible in One Year: 1 Thessalonians 1-5, Daniel 11:7-19, Hymn: Sing Hymn 14 – Take My Life

MESSAGE:

Yesterday, we discussed knowing and staying within your calling. One of the reasons why it is important for you to know and stay within your calling is to fulfil the purpose of your calling. Fulfilling your calling is therefore premised on you knowing and staying within your calling. We are instructed by the Lord to ensure the profitable use of the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit – though not without caution that it should be done in faith. The bedrock of the use of the gifts the Holy Spirit gives and the offices our Lord Jesus Christ calls us into is love. This is why Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:31, as a prologue to his exposition on love, said:

“But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”

Coming up next: Open Heavens 23 October 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – His Thoughts Towards You

Without love, you cannot adequately fulfil your calling. Through the story of Jonah who was commissioned as a prophet to warn a perishing nation, we learn that without love, there is no way anyone can fulfil his or her calling. The office of a prophet is a desirable office among the fivefold offices in the Church (Ephesians 4:11). This was the office Jonah was called into. However, a lack of love for perishing souls almost made him to lose that office and his life (Jonah 1:1-15). Beloved, into what office have you been called? Are you fulfilling your calling? If not, do you know the cause? May be it is because your heart is lacking in love. 1 Corinthians 13:2 say

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

It is amazing to read that Jonah was angry because God decided to forgive the people of Nineveh after he had been forced to warn them to repent. Jonah 3:10-4:1 says,

“3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.”

You cannot fulfil your calling if you don’t have love to operate it. Your gifts would just be monumental but without value. It takes love to be a successful administrator to say the least. It takes love to successfully do the work of an evangelist or a teacher. Without love, you may own all the goods in the world and people dying of starvation will mean nothing to you. A pastor without love would just be milking the sheep to fatten himself up for perdition. Love is the excellent way of fulfilling your calling. Release your heart to love, and stay away from hate.

Prayer Point: Father, please fill my heart with compassion and love, so that I may fulfil my calling in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.

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