CAC FOP

A Lover Of God

References: 1st John 3:1, Deuteronomy 11:1; 6:1-5, 1st John 5:3; Psalm 97:10, Mathew 22:37

Just about everyone lay claim to being a lover of God. If this assertion is true, how then is the world full of ungodliness, hatred, bitterness and all manner of evil?

Just about everyone lay claim to being a lover of God. If this assertion is true, how then is the world full of ungodliness, hatred, bitterness and all manner of evil? Surely, there must be a missing link. Love carries with it affection, passion and a heart that burns to satisfy the other's interest. Biblically, a lover of God is one who has a total and unconditional living affection with a deep passion for God inwardly and outwardly. Mathew 22:37, Deuteronomy 6:6-15. It is a known fact that true love cannot hide, it does not pretend or disguise but exposes itself genuinely. Some other characteristic of love is that it is self-motivated, self persuasive and self convinced. But who is a lover of God? 1st John 5:3 records that he is one who obeys all commandments of God. So does John 14:21-24 and Deuteronomy 6:1-5. Psalm 97:10 commands, “ye that love the Lord, hate evil. So lovers of God are those who hate all forms of evil and loves godliness, righteousness and truth. Mathew 22:37 declares that he or she is one who loves God with the whole heart, mind and strength i.e. one who loves without reservations and conditions.

-EVIDENCE FOR GOD’S LOVE

There must be something to show for love. A lover of God must show the following towards God:
1. Demonstration of willful and unconditional love towards God, His words and His ways. Deuteronomy 6:1-5 2. Devotion, fear, worship and adoration of God without induced persuasion and enticement. 1st John 4:7-21
3. Communicating or fellowship with God. Always associating and having fondness with God and His people continuously. Psalm 119:103, John 15:4-7, Psalm 113
4. Seeking to please God instead of self by doing those things that God cherishes and delights in, loving what God loves and hating what God hates, walking in the fear of God. Mathew 10:38-39, Romans 8:8, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5
5. Identifying with God under all conditions without being ashamed. Mathew 10:33,37
6. Seeking always to do God’s will. John 21:15-17
7. Having joy in obeying God’s word. John 14:21-24

-REWARDS FOR GOD’S LOVER

1. He commands and attracts God’s attention always. Deuteronomy 7:7-8
2. Receives God’s salvation. Psalm 91:14
3. Receives God’s protection. Psalm 91:14
4. Secures God’s deliverance. Deuteronomy 7:8, Psalm 91:14
5. Attract God’s presence always. John 14:21
6. Attracts God’s blessings. Deuteronomy 7:9-15, Psalm 1:1-3
7. In him, God’s covenant and faithfulness is established. Deuteronomy 7:9

Prayer

Luke 18: 1 - 14 References: Psalm 57:1-5, 25:1-6, 91:1

How do we pray? This is not about method or posture of prayer but better put, it is a mode of presentation...

Biblically, prayer is seen as a two way communication between man and God in making a request, petition, supplication and intersession; Also praise and adoration unto God. It is a time of fellowship with God on a personal basis or in a general or collective fellowship with other believers. The life of prayer is the act of dwelling in the secret place of the most high.
How do we pray? This is not about method or posture of prayer but better put, it is a mode of presentation. Prayer can be in any position or posture, lying down, sitting down, kneeling down, bending down, squatting and standing position, the posture depends on factors such as the environment, atmosphere of the environment, state of the individual’s health, inspiration of the moment, practice of the church, tradition of the people and other factors. So, how do we present our prayers?
Biblically, prayer is seen as a two way communication between man and God in making a request, petition, supplication and intersession; Also praise and adoration unto God. It is a time of fellowship with God on a personal basis or in a general or collective fellowship with other believers. The life of prayer is the act of dwelling in the secret place of the most high. How do we pray? This is not about method or posture of prayer but better put, it is a mode of presentation. Prayer can be in any position or posture, lying down, sitting down, kneeling down, bending down, squatting and standing position, the posture depends on factors such as the environment, atmosphere of the environment, state of the individual’s health, inspiration of the moment, practice of the church, tradition of the people and other factors. So, how do we present our prayers?
ASK: Matthew 7 verse 7 – 11, Asking means requesting, demanding, petitioning, questioning to understand, crying out for intervention but the scripture must be the guideline whatever one asks must be with understanding and according to the will of God, in total subjection to that will with absolute humility in the heart. James 4 verse 3, 7 – 10
SEEK : Jeremiah 23 verse 13 Seeking implies searching, investigating, desiring with deep and intense heartfelt emotion, being uncompromising until the desire is granted or the missing treasure found. This is done by searching for and employing the scriptural promises on an issue or a situation until God’s face or answer is found. You have not found until you find. So seeking ends when the missing item, answer or desire shows up.
KNOCK : Psalm 18 verse 3; 22 verse 1; 70 verse 1 In knocking, there is a desperation in receiving immediate answer. It involves calling on God desperately, interceding as if there is no other time and presenting, reminding and reasoning out your case with God using the scriptures Isaiah 43:26.

Conditions for Answered Prayers

Just like in any other relationship and interaction, there are conditions that bring answers to prayers.

1. Righteousness and Holiness: Psalm 66:18 1st John 1 verses 5 – 9; the only prayer God hears from everybody without demanding for right-standing and purity before Him is the prayer of repentance and confession of sin. Every other prayer must be under God’s own way and nature. Righteousness and holiness is our license and guarantee of access to God.
2. Trust in God: Psalm 56:3, Proverbs 3: 5 – 6, Psalm 62:8 Trust means to depend, rely, have confidence and assurance on and in God and His words or promises. Be totally and fully persuaded or convinced that God answers prayers including your own. Trust, do not try God. Believe He is who He is. God.
3. Pray with Faith: Mark 11: 22 – 24 Place the highest premium on God’s faithfulness, mercy, love, care, ability, power and truth. Do not allow doubt, fear, unbelief, unsteady and wavering thought and mind, but let God be more real in your heart than every physical evidence.
4. Have Strong Desire: Mark 11:24, Psalm 42: 1 -2 Without a strong desire, the mind will wander away in unbelief, fear and doubt i.e lacking assurance. Have a strong sense of need and expectation or a strong sense of thirst, hunger and satisfaction.
5. Be Persistent: Until your desire is delivered into your hands, your prayer must not cease, rather increase the tempo, persevere, do not give up, you only stop when answer has come. Luke 18: 1 – 5
6. Pray according to God’s Will : James 4:3, John 16: 23- 28, Luke 16: 13 – 17, to pray according to God’s will is to claim promises of God in the scriptures or to believe scriptures relevant to your need and pray according to what God has said.
7. Pray with Humility : James 4: 3, 6 – 10, never feel proud before God. Luke 18:9 – 17 Be Patient : Allow God to do it for you at the right time. Do not move ahead of Him, endure till your testimony comes from God, remember Abraham and Sarah/Hagar affair. Psalm 27:13 – 14, 40: 1 – 3
8. Be Expectant : Expecting is the womb of hope and faith, be pregnant of your desire and keep seeing your day of testimony until it is so. Psalm 34:5
9. Confess and Declare : Keep talking and testifying in advance of what God has done, is doing and will do according to His promises. Psalm 91:2, Numbers 13:21-33
10. Give Thanks : Always be full of thanks in your heart to the Lord, cast away sorrow, worries, anxieties and fear. Psalm 34: 1 – 4, 1st Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18 See your Testimonies Coming : Genesis 15: 1 - 7

The Key To a New Beginning

Luke 15: 11-24, 2nd Corinthians 5:17, Isaiah 43:16-19

New beginnings comes as there is a need to turn from the old to need to move further ahead...

New beginning comes as there is a need to turn from the old to need to move further ahead. The recognition of the importance of new initiatives or action is a proof that the old is no more relevant, out rightly bad or just requires some adjustment or change. But what are the measures needed to forgo the old for the new?

Measures needed to forgo the old for the new

1. BE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE OLD. Never be satisfied with what does not satisfy neither be complacent but convinced of the need for a change. In Luke 15:14-17, the prodigal son had to recognize his state and made up his mind on what next to do.

2. FORGET THE FORMER THINGS. Isaiah 43:18-19 reads “forget the former things, do not remember the things of old for I will do a new thing”. If you dwell on your past failures, problems, woes and all such negative situations, you would have succeeded in wasting so much energy and time while still experiencing the old – past misfortune. Remember, the more you focus on a problem negatively, the bigger it appears. Your focus determines your vision or destruction. May you from now on look and see a new glory in Jesus’ name.

3. BE READY TO CHANGE. Change is one of the most demanded phenomena but it is also the most resisted part of life. One must be ready to accept and adjust to a new state, drop old practices, friends, conveniences and ideas. Ignore all distractions and discouragement. Face up to challenges and remain re-focused on the new line of action or way of life. (Isaiah 42:9) Keep seeing the new, count the old as gone. Every new thing comes with a change. Fear is a confirmation that you need a change.
4. DESIRE THE NEW THING. Where there is a desire, it is evident there is a will and where there is a will, there is also a readiness to act. New things must be anticipated, sought after and eagerly expected. Luke 15:17-18.

5. CATCH A NEW VISION. You must begin to see yourself on the inside differently and in a positive way, have a new perspective of the situation, see Christ as your only and unfailing hope of Glory. The prodigal son returned to the warm and joyful embrace of the father, so is God waiting for us. Luke 15:22-24.

6.ACT DECISIVELY. Luke15:20 declares, so he got up and went to the father, he took the action needed and got the right result; a new beginning. If you desire a new beginning, then you need to take a new action. Different actions produces different results. Convert your desires to vision and vision to actions.