Sound Doctrine: Beyond the Milk with Pastor Bo

Heb 10:24 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works."

Encouraging One Another: Believers can provoke one another by encouraging each other to continue in good works.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

- Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Bearing One Another's Burdens: Believers can provoke one another by bearing each other's burdens and helping each other through difficult times.

- Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

- 1Th 5:14:”Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

- Rom 15:1: “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

Celebrating One Another's Successes: Believers can provoke one another by celebrating each other's successes and accomplishments in good works.      Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here (Act 16:25-28).

When Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God - The prisoners heard them. 

Don't be ashamed to praise God in any situation you are. It doesn't matter who hear you or not. Praise move mountains. Paul and Silas' praise brought a local earthquake to the prison and the foundation of the prison was shaken so much that "all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."

Praise is so powerful it can destroy all evil foundations, rebuild broken foundations, close evil door, open closed doors and release those bound by the the enemy or the world. 

The person assigned by the authority to watch over Paul and Silas wanted to kill himself until Paul and Silas cautioned him. Praise can turn your enemy against themselves. Every spirit on assignment against you, every one assigned to ensure you remain in prison or you don't progress will burn against themselves. Their lives will be in your hands. Their lives will be at your mercy in Jesus name.

Practice praise today. Praise belongs to go. God inhabits in the praises of his people and no demon from hell or even Satan can usurp or take what belongs to God. Praise your way out of prison. Break locks, destroy closed doors, upturn prison foundations with your praise. God is waiting for your praise. Remember, praise is the food that God eats.

Shalom!

cryoutreach

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving Thursday!

What are you thankful for today!

Our Text this morning is Rom 13:7  

It's easy to say "thank you" for the good things in life, or for the good people in our lives.

But what about the things we often take for granted? The things we don't even think about or appreciate until they're gone?

Let's start this morning by taking a deep breath and focus on such things.

Something that looks so little, but if it is no longer in your life, your life will be miserable.

What could that be?

Take a moment to think about it.

It may be something or someone.

What is that thing and who is that person?

Maybe someone who has had a positive impact on you.

è A mentor, a friend, or a family member.

è A skill, training, or a priceless possession

Your exercise this morning is:

- Close your eyes and imagine your life without that thing or that person.

- How would it be like to wake up each morning without that thing or that person around you or in your life?

- Take a moment to think about what it will be to lose the thing or the person.

- Take a moment to imagine how your life would have been or where you’d ve been.

è Now, open your eyes and come back to the present moment.

è How do you feel?

This morning, I want you verbalize your gratitude to God about that thing or that person.

Acknowledge it with God this morning and tell God how it is and how you feel about it.

è Now, I want you to reach out to them and thank them for all they've done for you.

è Let them know how much they mean to you, and how grateful you are for their presence in your life.

è Celebrate the person

May God bless you abundantly.

Our text for today’s morning devotion is in Heb 13:1-3: "Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."

Few wisdoms to garner from this passage:

- Brotherly love,

- Entertain strangers,

- Remember those in prison,

- Remember those who suffer adversity.

While all these are kingdom keys to a hidden reward from God, but our focus this morning is the phrase: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers.”

Hospitality is kingdom key used by many in the past to receive hidden reward from God. It is defined as “friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests.”

Showing hospitality to our guests and friends is wonderful but this passage takes it to another level, to show hospitality to “strangers.”

What does this mean?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good” (Psa 122:6-9)

David encouraged people to pray for his city, the physical Jerusalem.

But as believers today, where is our own city, where is our Jerusalem?

As we know that Old Testament is New Testament concealed, and New Testament is Old Testament revealed. The Old Testament is a shadow of things to come… New Testament. The salvation in Old Testament was the law and the prophets, but in the New Testament it is the holy Spirit. The place of worship in the OT is the Temple, but now we are the temple of God. God dwelt in house made with hands in the OT, but today, he dwells in us. God chose the nation of Israel as his beloved in the OT, but today, we are the ”holy nation” of God and the “peculiar people.”

Today, we are God’s Jerusalem.

John in his revelations says, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Rev 21:1-3).

According to the passage, our own Jerusalem is “coming down from God out of heaven.”

We believers and the body of Christ are, “holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Peter wrote in 1Pet 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light”

Praying for the peace of Jerusalem means praying for the body of Christ, praying for one another.

There is a benefit accrued to this act of obedience: “they shall prosper that love thee.” When we obey the command to pray for the one another, there is prosperity. But that is not the reason we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, God calls Jerusalem, “my brethren and companions' sakes.”

God says, “for the sake of my companion and my brethren,” pray for the peace the body of Christ in whom you are a part, so that you can prosper.

Paul wrote to Timothy: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour” (1Tim 2:1-3).

Only when we obey this command can we prosper and live a good and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” This is what God wants, let us obey.

Let us pray for our brethren in distress. Let’s pray for those devastated with earthquake in Syria and Turkey. Let us pray for elections in Nigeria the most population black nation on earth. Let us pray for other nations God put in our earth. There are “brethren” and “God’s companion there. Let us pray for “Peace be within thy walls, and Prosperity within thy palaces.” Let us “now say, Peace be within thee.” Amen. cryoutreach

Today, Bible reading is in Colossians 3:8: “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

This passage reminds us to "put off” some things that are toxic in our lives.

To put off means to turn it off. To stop it. To put an end to it. To snuff life out of it.

Another translation says, “get rid of”. Yet another says, “put them away or put them aside.

1Pet 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

These things are toxic to our body system.

If there is anything you need in your body, toxin is not part of it.

As a matter of fact, you need to detox them.

Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth".

When we let go of negative emotions and thoughts, we make room for God to work in our lives.

How To?

Take a few deep breaths this morning and release any negative feelings we may be holding onto.

Ask God to help you let go of anything that's weighing you down so you can experience His peace and love.

Reflection: How you I respond with kindness and patience in my interactions today?

Journaling question:

Memory verse: "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:15).

Prayer:

DON’T EAT AND DIE

Act 20:35: I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

In our texts above (Acts 20:35), we are told to labor to support the week knowing that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Finding Rest and Profit in God

But when we look at our labor through our jobs, rising early and 9-5, it can be difficult to support any other people when we can hardly support ourselves. But we should be encouraged by the words of Jesus in Mat 11:28: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

We must understand that rest in in God, not in our much we labor to get a deserved vacation. He promised to give us rest, just as he said is he is the one that teach us to make profit. Isaiah 48:17 says, “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”

If God is our rest and profit, our focus should be on Him not in our work. Only when we do this can we support the weak, knowing that He is our supply and provider.

Cryoutreach

Todays' Morning Devotion: 

1 Peter 5:7: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

To cast means to Throw. Lay it at his feet.

How does the idea of casting all my cares upon God make me feel?

As we come into his presence this morning, lay all the troubles and challenges on him

Php 4:6: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Morning Devotion

Heb 13:15: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

What are you thankful for?

Psa 68:19  Blessed bethe Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

What are the benefits the Lord has loaded you with this morning?

Psa 32:7: Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Lam 3:23: They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

We pray against the spirits of death, disaster, blood bath, violence and destruction in Jesus’ name. We declare and declare that we are protected from these evil forces by the power of the Holy Spirit. We resist the devil and pray for divine protection.