How do I do the work of God?

 

An Emoji Devotions for Fri 27 May, 2022

Topic: How do I do the work of God?

by Pastor Wenger

The disciples just had a tremendous eventful time. They experienced how Jesus fed five thousand people with five small barley loaves and two small fish; and how there were twelve baskets left after all of them were full. 

They had a fearful night on the stormy sea; they saw Jesus and Peter walk on the water; and they witnessed how half the distance of the sea was conquered in the twinkling of an eye. They must have been in awe after that eventful day and the happening did not stop there. The crowd which had been fed by Jesus spent the night on the east shore and remembered that only one boat with the disciples had set out for the west shore. So, they began to search for Jesus and could not find him. Finally they decided to search on the west shore and it seems that whoever could find a place in one of the boats, sailed over to Capernaum.  When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’ His answer is astounding: ‘Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’ (John 6:26 – 27) Jesus’ reply did not really answer their question, but it cut through to the deeper question, how our deeper hunger and thirst for life can be satisfied. The people pick immediately up on this and ask: ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Now, Jesus makes clear that there is only one work of God: ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’ Is it that simple? What does it mean to believe? It simply means to trust and to obey Jesus, who is the incarnate word of God. Our world is full of secular believes. We trust for example the schedule of an air carrier and do everything to be on time on the airport. We have the attitude that requires to first see the plane start, we will be left behind. Our world can only function well, when it is built on human trust. Wherever trust is broken, evil is at work and sin abounds in betrayal, strive and hate.  Do I believe in the total goodness of God? Do I trust God that he has done through Jesus everything necessary for my redemption and salvation? Do I trust him when he says: ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’ (Matthew 7:21) Do I trust him, when he says: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’ Believing in him means that I hold on to his word, even everything looks different. It is exactly what Jesus did in his earthly life. It is absolutely despicable how the creator of the world has been treated by his creation, but he trusted his Father that the end would be victorious and glorious. You may go through many trials, through humiliations and injustices; you may be persecuted and violated, if you are his child and you believe in him, you will be glorified with him in life eternal. Jude reminds us in his short letter (Jude 1:4): Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.”

The work of God for you and me is to keep faith in him, to trust and to obey and he will bring about the glory. In an old hymn we sing: Not a burden we bear,  / not a sorrow we share,  / but our toil He doth richly repay;  / Not a grief nor a loss,  / Not a frown nor a cross,  / But is blest if we trust and obey.  / Trust and obey, for there is no other way / To be happy in Jesus, /  But to trust and obey. 

The apostle John exclaims in 1. John 5:3 – 4: In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. 

And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, please help me to do God’s work in every situation of my life. You are faithful,  and you never let me down.  Amen. 

How to Smell Jesus

 

An Emoji Devotions for Tue 24th, May 2022

Topic: How to Smell Jesus

Highlight: 

Won't God protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Won't he be concerned for them? He will surely hurry and help them. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find on this earth anyone with faith? Luke 18:7‭-‬8

Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was told by the crowd to be quiet. In their opinion, he did not deserve to have Jesus listen to him. Bartimaeus refused to be quiet and shouted all the louder as he wanted to meet Jesus. Jesus on hearing his insistence called him over and asked him what he wanted. (Mark 10:46-52)

You should persist you want to see Jesus. Instead of saying "Give me today our daily bread." You might want to say....

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. I want to see Jesus for urgent assistance"

You have changed the daily bread request to wanting to see Jesus for an urgent assistance. 

Jesus said "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

The aroma of fresh bread is so good that it is so irresistible. Without needing a map, You cannot miss your way to a bakery when fresh bread are placed in the oven. The pleasant aroma will lead you to the bakery near you once bread is on fire. 

Certainly, Jesus is the bread of life and you can smell him where ever he is, around you. 

How to smell Jesus "The bread of life"?

It is that lovely feeling that happens to when you begin to aspire in good faith that things is beginning to change for good and tomorrow will be just fine hopefully; then Jesus is smelling in the air.  

In Colossians 1:27 ERV the Bible says "God decided to let his people know just how rich and glorious that truth is. That secret truth, which is for all people, is that Christ lives in you, his people. He is our hope for glory."

The glory may be away, but it's perceived as if it's already happening because Christ the bread of life is smelling around.

It is sweet when you perceive Jesus and trace your way to him as fresh bread is perceived and bakery location found. Because if you genuinely find Jesus and take a bite of him. It will be Sweeter when Jesus is perceived through you.

There is this courage and confidence that your life is already made and glory is on its way. The good side of it is that no one will be able to sway you once you take a bite of Jesus.

How to perceive those who have taken a bite of the "bread of life"?

Acts 4:13 AMPC says something it

"Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages], they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus."

The aroma of Jesus is in His Spirit. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 AMPC

Where is your power, love and well balanced mind? 

Do you know that you can bring the aroma of Jesus into any situation. How would you do that? It is by having faith in God.

The Bible says that "Without faith, it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to God. Which means no one can take a bite of the bread of life if they don't believe in God. It faith that produce the hope that give life.

That is why all the men of faith like Joseph, David, Joshua, Daniel, etc in the Bible were very successful. If you have the opportunity to have that good feeling of perceiving Jesus in your life, do not ignore that feeling. Salvation is near!

Prayer: Jesus you are here and it feels like I'm in heaven on earth. Keep me conscious in your presence forever and ever. Amen

Was Jesus with Jonathan son of Saul in the Old Testament? - Jonathan's Memorial Day (May 18)

 

An Emoji Devotions for Wed, May 18 2022

Topic: Was Jesus with Jonathan son of Saul in the Old Testament? - Jonathan's Memorial Day (May 18)

Highlight: 

Jonathan and the soldier who carried his weapons talked as they went toward the Philistine camp. “It's just the two of us against all those godless men,” Jonathan said. “But the Lord can help a few soldiers win a battle just as easily as he can help a whole army. Maybe the Lord will help us win this battle.”

1 Samuel 14:6 

...Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6

Jonathan was left with one solder when he encountered a group of enemies over the hill. He believed that the Lord can help a few soldiers win a battle just as easily as he can help a whole army.  So This is called "eyes of Value for God" because He valued God's ability. No name was mentioned! was it Jesus who was with him?

My beloved reading this devotion. The difference between your faith to others depends on how you value the ability of God in the situations of reality ahead of you.

Like Jonathan, He proceed to fight armies of equiped enemies with only two of them (Himself and Jesus) because the other soldier had no armour in 1 Samuel 13:22 (So,) whenever the Israelite soldiers had to go into battle, none of them had a sword or a spear except Saul and his son Jonathan. You see, the other soldier who followed Jonathan had no weapon. But what Gave him the confidence to take on the fight with armies on the other side speaks volume that Jesus was the one with Him.

In life, the battle may seems so fierce in our very own eyes, but God's eyes sees them as nothing. So easy, that not a burning fire would  hurt his God's children. Nebuchadnezzar testified of this in Daniel 3:25 AMPC

"He answered, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods! [Phil. 2:5-8.]"

and strong lion and lioness would behave like gentle lamb to Daniel because God shut their mouth in Daniel 6:22 (Jesus mus have turned them into a sheep) . Don't be too tired to ask God for water. Samson was tired and weary, but God sent water gushing from a rock. Samson drank some and felt strong again... Judges 15:19

I'm telling you all this that Jesus could be with you where you are right now even though you may not see HIM with your physical eyes, It's necessary to Believe in your heart what God can do.

It is time to remember Jonathan who helped David his intimate friend to escape brutality on many occasions. Jonathan did not think of His throne but saved David from death to later be crowned king in His stead. Jonathan told David to remember him and his seed when he gets to the throne. He gave up his life and throne for His friend. This same Jonathan believed that the Lord can help a few soldiers win a battle just as easily as he can help a whole army. 

"As they (Nathaniel) approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity" John 1:47 NLT

Was this a coincidence? Jonathan came in form of Nathaniel to see Jesus the son of David? 

Bible stories you will fill us with peace but when you read news you will find cold blooded heartbreaking things that could defile the soul. If you follow the way of God, you have to open the Bible and read it so God could show you the way. 

1 John 2:17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

1 John 2:17 AMPC. Jonathan will forever abide in our heart! because without his sacrifice, David's story would have been incomplete.

Who knows if it was Jesus who was with Jonathan. That soldier who spake like God's son in his response to Jonathan: “Do whatever you want,” the soldier answered. “I'll be right there with you.”

1 Samuel 14:7

Jesus is "Emmanuel" which mean - 'God with Us'

You see why you need to read your Bible everyday so you can know all these things? 

Prayer: I invoke the Spirit of Jesus Christ into everything that concerns me from now henceforth in Jesus name. Amen

Gamaliel's God Theory

An Emoji devotions for Mon 16, May 2022

Topic: Gamaliel's God Theory

Highlight:

So I advise you to stay away from these men. Leave them alone. If what they are planning is something of their own doing, it will fail. But if God is behind it, you cannot stop it anyway, unless you want to fight against God. The council members agreed with what he said,

Acts 5:38‭-‬39 

The world today is filled with different stories. It is true that those who stood their ground for what they believed later became heroes and inspiration to others. You should know why you are here, that God is behind you. Jesus was an evidence of the greatest human sacrifice that brought salvation to humanity. Today, people of different colors and cultures can coexist because they believe in Christ Jesus. Salvation through Jesus was possible because God was behind it. 

All the strength and force of man comes from his faith in things unseen. He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. It is a blessed thing that in every age some one has had the individuality enough and courage enough to stand by his own convictions in God.

This is absolutely God's Theory: No matter what you are going through: Stand firm on Gamaliel's God Theory in Act 5:38 

"if God is behind you, nothing can stop you anyway, unless they want to fight against God."

Stop being worried and don't be carried away either. "I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go."

Joshua 1:9 

Prayer: God almighty please stand behind me to guide and uphold me in the journey of life. In Jesus name Amen.

The Palm of Calmness of God

 

An Emoji Devotions for Thu, May 12 2022

Topic: The Palm of Calmness of God

Highlight: 

A picture of your city is drawn on my hand. You are always in my thoughts!

Isaiah 49:16

Change the way you think. God is already thinking about you. When all conditions are met, you will get the testimony you have been waiting for. So relax your mind and trust in God. Do not conclude that it is over because you have not seen your expectations. Lay down there in God's palm of Calmness. This was where Daniel hid his head when he was thrown into the den of lion. He laid down in the green pastures of God's palm where there is stream of peaceful waters. There was no need for him to worry about the gruesome lions. God pat his back while the Angels shut the lions mouth. 

How do you lay in God's palm of calmness? You have to be genuinely born again and submit yourself to God's promising word. However anyone who still does not believe in Christ Jesus as their Lord and savior will not be able to face the threat to their peace because it is only through Jesus Christ we can be saved.

In God's palm, everything will work fine, it may only take some time while God is making arrangements to meet all conditions for your salvation. Jesus is coming back again. Before he arrives, He wants you to live your life in God's palm of Calmness. Looking unto Him alone and not the political injustices all around you. If you trust in the Lord with all your heart then you should lay down your head in God's palm of Calmness by relaxing your mind knowing fully that God is dependable and He will not disappoint you. 

As You continue to hope for better days upgrade your spirit to cool in God's palm of calmness. Luke 23:46 says Jesus shouted, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died. However the grace of Jesus Christ will make you survive and tomorrow will be the happiest day of your life. Because it is by grace that we are saved. If you enter into the palm of Calmness of God your faith in God will not  shake again. Matthew 7:14

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I submit my spirit and soul  into your hands. Please Place me in the palm of Calmness of God today. In Jesus name. Amen

Jesus Vs Prosecutor

 

An Emoji Devotions For Thu, May 5 2022

Topic: Jesus Vs Prosecutor

Highlight: 

“The heavens should rejoice, together with everyone who lives there. But pity the earth and the sea, because the devil was thrown down to the earth. He knows his time is short, and he is very angry.”

Revelation 12:12 

Truth be told, The earth is the Lord's and Everything in it. But pity the earth and the sea, because the devil was thrown down to the earth. Someone is going to lay claims on everyone on earth for being guilty of offense they know nothing about. If you wonder why crazy things happen sometimes, now you understand. That since the devil is around, no one is safe. You hear about war, porn, terrorism, felonies and some atrocities done one earth and you begin to wonder.

The reason why Jesus came on the scene is to wash you with his blood. As anyone who has been washed in his blood is not guilty of offense indicted against them. Though the devil is angry, yet the blood of Jesus is more powerful. All his charges cannot go against those who are marked by the blood of the lamb. 

Romans 8:33 says 

"Who shall bring any charge against God's elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?]"

And 

1 Peter 1:19 says But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.

You see my friend, only Jesus can save us from the anger of the devil. You need the blood of Jesus Christ. Then surrender to Jesus Christ the savior of the world. Accept His as the savior of your soul by confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Ask him to save you through his blood and avert the devil's anger. And if you are facing the anger of any form, truth be told, only the blood of Jesus can save you. Because anger has it's root from the devil. Please find a Bible believing church around you and meet with the local pastor for the process of salvation and water baptism as soon as you can. As you call on the blood of Jesus Christ to save you. You must be born again.

"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven that said: ‘Now God has saved his people from Satan's power! God has shown his great power as King. His special Messiah has shown his authority. Satan said bad things against our people. All day and all night he has continued to say bad things against believers. But now they have thrown him out of heaven. But our brothers and sisters fought against him and they won. They trusted the Lamb who died as a sacrifice. They continued to say that God's message is really true. They were ready to die as God's servants. So be happy, everyone who lives in heaven! But the earth and the sea will have bad trouble. The Devil has come down to you now. He is very angry. He knows that he has only a short time to hurt people.’ "

Revelation 12:10‭-‬12 EASY

Prayer: I call on the Lord Jesus to save me through his Holy blood today. In Jesus name. Amen.