THE FAMILY ALTAR Daily Devotional Week: Sunday 2nd February - Saturday 8th February, 2014 The Family Altar Sunday Feb. 2nd, 2014 Topic: Let’s thank God for the salvation of our souls Bible Text: Colossians 1:12-14 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins [KJV] Just a Charge Are you born again? Are you a child of the Living God? Is every life in this house under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? If so, praise the Lord! Today, I want us to express our profound appreciation to the One who made us children of God through His precious blood – Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Just imagine who you’d have been now without Christ! That will not be too difficult if you could still remember how terrible a person you were while you were yet wallowing in the miry water of sin. What a change! With that former nature and its manifestations, we know that we were expressly hell-bound! But, now are we children of light, and citizens of God’s own kingdom! Oh praise the Lord, all ye people! Honestly, I believe that, even if God does nothing any more for me [and that cannot be, for He daily loads us with benefits! – Psalms 68:19], just for the salvation of my soul, He deserve my praise, my worship and my all for the rest of my days in the land of the living. Is that the same with you? Praise the Lord. Today, let this entire family/household spend quality time just praising Him for His saving grace. Let this be our attitude throughout the day – whatever, wherever. It should also be a good opportunity for whosoever among us is yet to give his or her life to the Lord Jesus Christ to do so now. You know, it’s not proper to praise the Living God in the land of the dead! And, praise is only proper from the mouth of the righteous (Psalm 33:1). Meditate on this: Salvation is free, but at the cost of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; therefore value and jealously guard yours! Prayer Points: 1. Thank God that, not only are you alive today, you are also in Life. 2. Ask God for the grace on daily basis to jealously guard your salvation and to be able to endure to the end. 3. Pray that the thought of heaven will fill your soul throughout the day. 4. Pray today for the salvation of the soul of someone very dear to you who is yet to be born again. 5. Be filled with Spirit of worship today. The Family Altar is a marriage and family-focused daily devotional posted for free use of all by Help for the Family Ministry, Lagos, Nigeria. Except otherwise indicated, all write-ups are authored by the Ministry’s helmsman, Pastor Dayo St. John. You can be a part of this via the Ministry’s website helpforthefamily or Facebook page Help for the Family Ministry For further details, comment or requests, please contact: Website: helpforthefamily E-mail: thefamilyaltar@helpforthefamily Telephone: 234-8023072094, -8098032094 The Family Altar Monday Feb. 3rd, 2014 Topic: Doomed by choice! Bible Text: John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God [KJV] Just a Charge Are you born again? If you aren’t, then you are doomed – already; by choice, not by chance! A bitter pill to swallow? Yea, more than that! The One who said so is God who can never lie and that doesn’t show partiality in the application of His laws. Anyone whatsoever who would not believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is condemned already. As many as received Him, or believed in His name, are authorized to be the children of God (John 1:12). All others, by their own choice, wittingly or unwittingly, are children of Satan (1 John 3:8). There is no middle way herein. You either belong to God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, or you belong to the Devil by your unbelief. “He who is committing sin is of the devil ....Whoever is a child of God cannot go on sinning”, says the Bible in 1 John 3:8-9 [Montgomery’s NT]. This is the differentiating factor for all the people of the world – between those who are God’s children and those who aren’t (verse 10). If you choose to “go on sinning”, automatically, you have chosen Satan as your father; and hell as your eternal abode, Period! Now, the door of Salvation is opened unto all in the world but each person has the choice as to whether to enter in or stay without. Jesus’ death on the Cross is a once-and-for-all eternal offering for sins of all. Whosoever rejects or despises this offer has chosen to be doomed forever! Every man (and woman) is a born-sinner by nature, and a pedestrian to hell by works. Each one must come to the saving knowledge and acceptation of the Lordship of Jesus Christ in order to be delivered from the condemnation of sin. Each of us must forsake our sinful way and turn to the Lord by faith to be saved. There is no respect of person in this matter. Is everyone in this house saved? Are we all born again? By our fruit (lifestyle, character) we can arrive at the right answer. For those who are not, the time to choose Christ is now, not later! (2 Corinthians 6:2). Meditate on this: You came into the world as a Sinner, not by choice; but, you have the choice to leave the world so-so or as a Saint. The object of your choice is Jesus Christ [1Corinthians 15:21-23] Prayer Points: 1. Lord Jesus, I thank You for counting me among the living today. 2. Thank God also for making a way of escape for every sinner through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. Make an altar call among you now. Let’s lead the unsaved soul to the Lord now, and then together pray for the individual(s). 4. Commit your activities today to the hand of God and seek His grace and strength. 5. Appreciate God for answered prayers. . The Family Altar is a marriage and family-focused daily devotional posted for free use of all by Help for the Family Ministry, Lagos, Nigeria. Except otherwise indicated, all write-ups are authored by the Ministry’s helmsman, Pastor Dayo St. John. You can be a part of this via the Ministry’s website helpforthefamily or Facebook page Help for the Family Ministry For further details, comment or requests, please contact: Website: helpforthefamily E-mail: thefamilyaltar@helpforthefamily Telephone: 234-8023072094, -8098032094 The Family Altar Tuesday Feb. 4th, 2014 Topic: Jesus or His droplets? Bible Text: John 6:24-27 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. [KJV] Just a Charge There is a very fearful trend widely spreading in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ in our days – and that is the propensity of “church people” settling for what they can grab from Jesus, rather than seeking for Jesus Christ Himself; seeking to take from Him, rather than to take after Him! Many are going to the churches today, not really interested in or having a thirst for the indwelling presence of the Son of God. All that they are after are the “droplets” or “fall-outs” or “the goodies” from Him! And the irony of it is that there are so many churches all over the place that are actually aiding this anomaly, especially because such brings in the crowds and, of course, the bucks! In today’s scriptural text, we find an example of such people who on the surface appeared to be “seeking for Jesus”, but in the real sense, were actually after another round of “the miracle of fishes and barley loaves”! They were already accustomed to such “wonderful experience” and were motivated to come for another “wonderful fellowship”! Jesus, knowing their real goal for “coming to His Church”, earnestly counseled with them to “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life”. As the discourse went on in that John chapter six, He revealed to them what that eternally enduring “meat” actually means – Himself, the Bread of Life (verse 31-58). From that juncture, many who had been “following Him” before, even those that had “grown” to the status of “disciples”, seeing that the “Pastor” ((Jesus Christ) seemed not to share their primary desire, decided not to go to “His Church” again , I guess, to look for another church where “it is happening”! That’s exactly the situation till now! So many troop to the churches nowadays being more interested in the ephemeral and the temporal (breakthroughs, victory over enemies, welfare dole-outs, etc) rather than the real and eternal (indwelling Christ). As for you and your household, you can resolve today to rather seek after and stick to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than running after what you can “eat” from Him. You can be sure, though, that, having Jesus, all other things will be freely added unto you (Rom 8:32)! That’s the only choice! May He fill your lives and home today and ever. Amen. Meditate on this: Having all things in this world without having Jesus is equal to scoring zero in the records of heaven! Prayer Points: 1. Daddy, thank You for Your presence in our life and in this household. 2. O Lord, please create in us a heart that is ever thirsty for You and your presence in that name of Jesus. 3. O God, please purge us now of every wrong reason for attending church in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 4. Thank you Lord for rearing and answering our prayers. . The Family Altar is a marriage and family-focused daily devotional posted for free use of all by Help for the Family Ministry, Lagos, Nigeria. Except otherwise indicated, all write-ups are authored by the Ministry’s helmsman, Pastor Dayo St. John. You can be a part of this via the Ministry’s website helpforthefamily or Facebook page Help for the Family Ministry For further details, comment or requests, please contact: Website: helpforthefamily E-mail: thefamilyaltar@helpforthefamily Telephone: 234-8023072094, -8098032094 The Family Altar Wednesday Feb. 5th, 2014 Topic: Papyrus without a marsh Bible Text: Job 8:11-14 Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water? While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant. So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spiders web. [NKJV] Just a Charge Papyrus is an aquatic plant of the sedge family. And, a reed is any of various tall broad-leaved firm-stemmed grasses of the general Phragmites and Arundo growing in water or marshy ground. Both of these plants grow, flourish and survive only at riversides or swamplands, where they are being nourished continually with water. Now, can you imagine the state of the papyrus in a dry land? It’s going to be exactly the same with a fish out of water! God likens the state of “all who forget God ... and the hypocrites” to that. Sir, Ma, brothers and sisters, hear the question God is asking you today: “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water?” All who forget God in their thoughts, words and deeds in life, as well as those who are hypocrites [Holy Willies, whited-sepulchres, charlatans, creeping Jesus!], the Bible says, will wither away. They will be like “the grass [that] withereth, [and] the flower [that] fadeth: because the Spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it...” (Isaiah 40:7). Truly the Lord Jesus says in John 15:5 that “Without me you can do nothing”. “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” He further says in the next verse. This is the end of all God-forgetters and hypocrites. What can make a man to forget his Maker? There could be many reasons. It could be affluence, too much comfort, self-conceit, self-delusion, unmet needs, life’s challenges, etc. Whatever is the basis, the truth is that whoever forgets God is the biggest fool ever born! (Psalm 14:1). The case of a hypocrite appears to be even worse. His is a case of mental twist or arrant derangement: a delusive cacophony! A walking carcass! (Rev 3:1). God is the No. 1 and No. Last need of any man who desires to be fruitful and flourish in any way. He must be your Alpha and Omega, if your existence in this world must be worthwhile. You wither and perish alone without Him! Friends, this is the challenge to our lives and home today. Have you forgotten God in any area of your life? Are you living phony Christian lifestyle? Today, you must turn a new leaf. Except you see yourself as wiser than God, the end of a-papyrus-without-water way of life should scare you stiff, and humble you unto repentance now. Except you are already reprobate! May the dew of heaven fall on you today! Meditate on this: Except you feel wiser than God, the end of a-papyrus-without-water way of life should scare you stiff, and humble you unto repentance now. Except you are already reprobate! Prayer Points: 1. If you have the breath of life in you, then go ahead and give the Owner of your soul hearty praise now. 2. Pray to God for grace never to cast Him behind in any of your plans and endeavour in life. 3. Ask God to help you to be deeper rooted in Him everyday of your life.. 4. Father, make your power real in my life, home, business, etc, today. 5. Thank you Father for a blessed day. . The Family Altar is a marriage and family-focused daily devotional posted for free use of all by Help for the Family Ministry, Lagos, Nigeria. Except otherwise indicated, all write-ups are authored by the Ministry’s helmsman, Pastor Dayo St. John. You can be a part of this via the Ministry’s website helpforthefamily or Facebook page Help for the Family Ministry For further details, comment or requests, please contact: Website: helpforthefamily E-mail: thefamilyaltar@helpforthefamily Telephone: 234-8023072094, -8098032094 The Family Altar Thursday Feb. 6th, 2014 Topic: He is mindful of you Bible Text: Psalms 8:3-4 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?. [NKJV] Just a Charge Sometimes, we go through situations and experiences in life whereby it seems we are all alone and helpless. It is as if even God has forgotten about us, or that He doesn’t care. But, the truth is: God is ever mindful of all His creatures, of which man [human beings] is most important to Him. We are created in His own very image. No other creature is that privileged. God pays us attention. He cares. Our troubles trouble Him. He is a feeling Person. In Jeremiah 29:11, He says, “For I know the thought I think towards you …”. God thinks of you. He thinks about your home. He thinks about your spouse, your kids, your parents, your career, your studies, your health, and your all. And, His thoughts are wonderful towards you and all yours. We need to know this assure ourselves and be comforted. All we then need do is to look up unto Him and trust Him whatever the situation. He is not just mindful of you, He is willing and able to prove Himself in your life, home, works, ministry, etc. God really love you and all yours. He cares for you. Enjoy a great day. Meditate on this: “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” [Hebrews 13:5] Prayer Points: 1. Thank God for another day alive. It means your case is not close. 2. Thank God for being our present Help in times of need. 3. What are you in person or your home going through now? Acknowledge God in your life, and surrender the situation unto Him. 4. Thank Him for taking over your troubles. . The Family Altar is a marriage and family-focused daily devotional posted for free use of all by Help for the Family Ministry, Lagos, Nigeria. Except otherwise indicated, all write-ups are authored by the Ministry’s helmsman, Pastor Dayo St. John. You can be a part of this via the Ministry’s website helpforthefamily or Facebook page Help for the Family Ministry For further details, comment or requests, please contact: Website: helpforthefamily E-mail: thefamilyaltar@helpforthefamily Telephone: 234-8023072094, -8098032094 The Family Altar Friday Feb. 7th, 2014 Topic: Be Careful for Nothing Bible Text: Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [KJV] Just a Charge One of the greatest worrisome traits of end-times men is the unending and unquenchable quest to corner to themselves as much as possible of the things of this world. In this pursuit, some don’t even mind to destroy others, exploit others, out-compete and out-do others, and, even, to cast off God from their calculations! What a troublous rat-race! But, as for you children of God, your Father won’t want you to join in this godless race. After all, your Father is the Owner of the entire world and all that therein is! Praise the Lord! As we can see from our scriptural text for today, our heavenly Father does not want us to be fraught with worry or anxiety for anything whatsoever in this world. Bible in Basic English version renders verse six thus: “Have no cares; but in everything with prayer and praise put your request before God”. In other words, if you have any cares at all [as certainly you will!], God doesn’t want you to carry it all by yourself; He wants you to cast them upon Him (1 Peter 5:7]. He would love to show you how much He cares and He could cater for you. What a wonderful privilege! No flesh is strong enough to carry all alone his/her cares in this world. None at all! Neglecting the mighty Cares-carrier or Burden-bearer, men who have attempted self-effort at carrying their cares by themselves have had themselves enlisted in the annals of all forms of self-destructive tendencies and diseases – e.g. high blood pressure, hypertension, fraudulent practices, exploitative tendencies, evil lusting, murder, etc. Our Daddy doesn’t want us to be in this inglorious number. Rather, He wants us to humble ourselves and in full trust carry all our cares [needs, desires, whatever will make us happy] to Him in prayer coupled with praise [for who He is, what He has done before, what He’s capable of doing now]. Today, I implore you by the mercies of the Lord to take advantage of this divine offer to turn all your care and that of your household to our ever-able, ever-gracious and all-sufficient heavenly Father – for He cares for you. May His peace fill your heart throughout this day in the name of Jesus. Amen. Meditate on this: “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” [Matt.13:22] Prayer Points: 1. Open your mouth and worship the Lord for His wonderful offer to be your Care-carrier and Burden-bearer. 2. Appreciate Him for your assurance that, today, your peace is guaranteed by His sure promise. 3. What are those loads of cares you’ve been carrying all alone thus far? Now begin to cast them by upon the Lord’s wide shoulder. 4. Join your hands and pray for one another in this same respect also. 5. Thank God for perfect relief and the inflow of His incomparable peace. . The Family Altar is a marriage and family-focused daily devotional posted for free use of all by Help for the Family Ministry, Lagos, Nigeria. Except otherwise indicated, all write-ups are authored by the Ministry’s helmsman, Pastor Dayo St. John. You can be a part of this via the Ministry’s website helpforthefamily or Facebook page Help for the Family Ministry For further details, comment or requests, please contact: Website: helpforthefamily E-mail: thefamilyaltar@helpforthefamily Telephone: 234-8023072094, -8098032094 The Family Altar Saturday Feb. 8th, 2014 Topic: Jeshurun Grew Fat & Kicked! Bible Text: Deuteronomy 32:15-18 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. [KJV] Just a Charge One of the very obvious and provable dangers of affluence and comfort is that of “kicking” against God, the Source. To “kick” here means to become rebellious, spurnful, or defiant of God and His righteousness. It’s a very fearful thing about wealth! To wax fat, grow thick and be covered with thickness [all talking about prosperity; material comfort] is very good. In fact, I guess it’s the desire of every man/home. Fortunately, it’s also God’s desire for us! (Job 36:11, 3 John 2). However as we crave this good things, have we ever given serious thought to this underlining risk of kicking, in so much as to be mindful of it, and also prepare spiritually to withstand its alluring potency? It is good to be comfortable in this world. Somebody [Ecclesiastes 10:19] actually said “Money answereth all things”! (???). But the possibility of growing fat, and kicking, is an intimidating and awful reality. We need to give this a good thought today, brethren. May God cause you and your home to prosper. I say a big AMEN. But....watch! I have seen men whose desire was always “to dwell in the house of the Lord forever” when their “three-square meal” was not guaranteed. After affluence has come, they suddenly become too pre-occupied to even spare an hour in a week in intimate fellowship with God! When riches come many hurtful lusts and God-provoking fantasies previously unthinkable to the now-rich man suddenly become his pass-time. How times change! How unpredictable can man be! No wonder the Lord says to us [His disciples] “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23). When a man begins to “worship” [trust in, make god of] his great wealth, and begins to lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation, and become unmindful and forgetful of the God that formed him, then, that wealth, rather than being a blessing, has become a dreadful curse! Beloved, I pray that God will proper you abundantly; but, please, let me warn that you will surely need to decisively confront this fatal nemesis we’re discussing about today through dogged, unfaltering and irrevocable consecration unto the God of your Salvation, the God that made you. That’s the only way prosperity can be a blessing indeed. Have a prosperous day! Meditate on this: Desire riches; for it is good. Crave prosperity; for it is in itself no evil. Nevertheless, all your gettings without Christ is cankered! Therefore, never be satisfied thirsting for Him – for He is the true and eternal Riches! Prayer Points: 1. Magnify the Lord for being alive today to enjoy His unsearchable riches. 2. Thank God for His blessings that has made you rich thus far. 3. Examine your life. What’s the lot of your fellowship with God since He had began to cause you to flourish? Pray earnestly for God’s mercy and forgiveness if this has ebbed. 4. Pray that God will release His power to prosper into your life/home/business; but with a pledge to remain faithful to Him and committed to His righteousness. 5. Commit all your business today into the hand of God. The Family Altar is a marriage and family-focused daily devotional posted for free use of all by Help for the Family Ministry, Lagos, Nigeria. Except otherwise indicated, all write-ups are authored by the Ministry’s helmsman, Pastor Dayo St. John. You can be a part of this via the Ministry’s website helpforthefamily or Facebook page Help for the Family Ministry For further details, comment or requests, please contact: Website: helpforthefamily E-mail: thefamilyaltar@helpforthefamily Telephone: 234-8023072094, -8098032094
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 13:37:28 +0000
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