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Rev Enoch Thompson | MARCH 4, 2023 | MATTHEW 7:21-23 KEY VERSE: ²¹"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21 (NIV) MESSAGE: It is interesting how the Lord sets the standards and provides the bases of inclusion or exclusion from the Kingdom He came to establish. It is easy to think one belongs to the Kingdom when, actually, one is far removed from the Kingdom. And the Lord sounds the alarm early enough in His ministry: ²¹"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21 (NIV). To say “Lord, Lord” is easy; anyone can say it and even add accolades and appellations to the name of the Lord. The Lord Jesus indicates that it is not the mere heaping of words upon His holy Name or things related to His Name that makes one a Kingdom citizen, but the obedience to His teachings, which in turn pleases the Father in Heaven, which brings about Kingdom citizenship. It is possible to do the things associated with the Kingdom of God, miracles, signs and wonders, and not have the sanction and approval of the King of the Kingdom. Please note that the Lord did not argue with those making the claim of work done in His Name, to say that they did not do those works they were claiming to have done. The deciding factor for the Lord in who is a Kingdom citizen and who is not is not the matter of cheap talk. The matter of relationship, the relationship between the individual and the Saviour is the deciding factor in the matter of qualification. The Lord does not know nor acknowledge the cheap-talkers. “Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:23). Where Christian faith is in name and word only character is flawed and people live without Kingdom principles; they qualify to be called “evildoers.” FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are you a Christian, a citizen of the Kingdom of God, of a truth? The matter must be settled. True Kingdom citizenship must result in Kingdom spirit and character. If there are ways in which our behaviour does not match up to our religious language and claims, then we are getting ready for a rude awakening. Settle your submission to the lordship of Christ, vow to live up to your Christian profession in every area of life. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, I crown you Lord indeed in all matters of my life. I pray that my Christian life will not only be at the level of a biblical name, a church membership or other association with Christian institutions. May I have your acknowledgement in this life, and when I stand before you at the end, may I be received into your glorious Heaven. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | MARCH 3, 2023 | MATTHEW 7:15-20 KEY VERSE: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. Matthew 7:15 (NIV) MESSAGE: From the onset of His ministry the Lord Jesus indicated that there would be false prophets, and towards the end of His earthly journey, He indicated again “²⁴ For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time. (Matt 24:24-25 (NIV). The presence on the religious scene of those who claim to be prophets and are false prophets should not surprise the informed Kingdom citizen. What is important is to identify the false prophets and steer away from them. Our text is helpful because the Lord gave us some insight as to how to identify them. False prophets are very good pretenders. They present themselves as harmless agents of God, but their intentions and purposes are evil, seeking to take advantage of the Kingdom citizen and to enrich themselves. How can we identify the false prophets? Over time and by close observation, and some spiritual discernment, the Kingdom citizen should be able to read between the lines; the behaviour of the false prophets will show who they really are. Their character and behaviour, more than their words and any signs and wonders they may produce ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:16-20 (NIV). Jude helps us further in how to identify the false prophets in Jude 11-13;16-19; ¹¹ Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.¹² These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm — shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted — twice dead. ¹³They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Jude 16-19 ¹⁶ These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. ¹⁷ But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. ¹⁸ They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." ¹⁹ These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. NIV FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: In an era that is excited about prophets, you need to examine whom you are listening to or following as a prophet. Please pay close attention to the attitudes, words and behaviour of any person in the position of spiritual leadership. Pay close attention to the fact that the display of sexual sins, boastful claims, flamboyance, disrespectful language and extortion of money from people, by supposedly spiritual leaders, are red flags, that you are following a false prophet. Study your Bible and measure the teachings of these persons to ensure that you do not get caught in the net of these agents of Satan. You may not be following someone who calls themselves a prophet per se, but anyone who assumes spiritual leadership over you must be subjected to the test discussed above. Beware of false prophets, pastors, and self-styled spiritual leaders whose behaviour does not measure up to the Bible or what they rightly teach from the Bible. Are you a Kingdom leader? Is your lifestyle consistent with your teaching? PRAYER: Jesus my Prophet, Priest, and King, thank you for the insight into the possibility of coming under the influence of false spiritual leaders. Please help me to have the abundance of your Spirit so that I may discern falsehood in the Church and all around me. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | MARCH 2, 2023 | MATTHEW 7:13-14 KEY VERSE: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Matthew 7:13 (NIV) MESSAGE: Every human being born into this world begins a journey and continues in that journey to a destination of destruction in Hell or eternal bliss with God in Heaven. The journey of life is undertaken by the individual on a path with an entry point, which the individual chooses. The Lord identifies two gates or decision points that mark the beginning of the individual’s journey of life, the wide gate and the narrow gate. The section under consideration gives us the admonishment to enter through the small gate and travel the narrow way. The reason for the Lord’s direction is that the wide gate is wide; what does this mean? The wide gate is wide because it is inviting, accommodating and spacious; it seems the way to go. The wide gate leads unto a path that is broad, it is the lifestyle with no restrictions. One who enters the wide gate lives a life where conscience is silenced, and God’s rules and,are thrown to the wind. The wide gate and its broad road is often chosen because it has many travellers. How many of us are influenced by what everybody seems to be doing? Of course, it is easier to be like the rest than to be different from them. The philosophy on the broad road is that if it feels good, and everybody is doing it, then go ahead and do it. Because the road is broad the traveller can freely throw their weight about however, they choose. The sad reality about this choice of a life journey is that it leads to destruction. In life, it makes us slaves of the devil, and beyond death, it qualifies us for eternal Hell. Wise King Solomon captures this truth this way; ¹² There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death (Prov 14:12; repeated in 16:25), NIV. The prescribed way for the Kingdom citizen is to enter life through a decision point that is deliberately limiting and restrictive. To choose to be a follower of the Lord Jesus and to truly live that life is a commitment to live a restricted, demanding, and challenging life. He said in Matthew 10:37-39, ³⁷"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸ and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (NIV). The lordship of Christ is a narrow gate. The human desire to self-project and to be our own god cannot accept that Jesus Christ is Lord of our salvation and Master of our sanctification. Not only is the gate small, but the path open to the Kingdom traveller is a narrow path! To truly live as God would have us do is a truly narrow path. The Christian life is not necessarily a life devoid of happiness, for it offers happiness at a deeper level, it offers joy, and contentment that is not dependent on external factors. The Christian life is a seriously restricted life, life on the narrow path; we cannot use certain language because our language must be sanitized. We cannot treat others unfairly because we must do to others what we want done to us. We must love people who hate us, pray for them, and show them genuine goodness. The path is really narrow and has few travellers. The good thing to note is that the Master assures us that this path leads to life; life in this life, and life beyond death. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Have you entered life through the narrow gate? The Lord Jesus asserts in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (NIV) If you have not, then please accept that He came to die for you and rose again from the dead. Thereafter determine by His help to keep to the narrow path and be sure He will help you to the promised Heavenly home. PRAYER: Dear Master and King Jesus, thank you for summarising the human story so simply. I commit to the small gate and the narrow road. Please help me keep my feet road till I appear before you in Heaven. For your dear Name’s sake Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | MARCH 1, 2023 | MATTHEW 7:12 KEY VERSE: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 (NIV) MESSAGE: Our verse for reflection seems to stand on its own in the immediate context. The need to guard the sacred callings and giftings from wrong influences is stressed in verse 6, followed by the invitation to pray and expect God to answer prayers (verse 7-11). Then comes the instruction in our verse; “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” What is expressed here is what has become known as the Golden Rule. There was a woman whose husband was sick and unable to look after himself at a point. The woman after some time decided that she was not going to waste her life looking after a sick person, who, apart from all the attention he would demand would not be able to provide her with what he used to provide. She had married for the better, and not for worse. She, therefore, packed her bag and baggage and walked away to find newer loves. As the narrative goes, over time she also fell ill in turn, and after her new love had spent quite some money on her, he decided to abandon her and move on with his life. She wept and begged, but the man moved away anyway. What a sad story, but it happened and happens in our fallen world. The message for us today from the lips of the gracious Lord Jesus is that as citizens of His holy Kingdom we learn and commit ourselves to showing other people the same level of good treatment we would expect to be exercised towards us, or put in other words not to do to other people the evil that we would not be happy to have done to us. This is most stressed when other people are at the disadvantage, or when we have the power over them to hurt them. Why must I live by the Golden Rule? We must live by this sacred universal rule because we are all made in the image of God. When we treat our neighbours wrongly, we offend the God in whose image they are made. We must do this because our fellow human being is of equal worth as ourselves, irrespective of our different nationalities, races, tribes, social and economic statuses etc. We must obey the Golden Rule because rather than merely rising to the high standard of respecting the humanity of the neighbour and the image of God in them, the Kingdom lifestyle requires of us an even higher standard; “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Phil 2:3 (NIV). Finally, we must do this because it shows our love for our neighbour, and fulfils the demands of the Law and the Prophets; “³⁷Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt 22:37-40 (NIV). FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Decide under God to evaluate everything you say to or about the people in your circle, everything you do to, do for, or do against your neighbour, and in all of your interactions, to live by the Golden Rule, and you will become more and more a true citizen of the Kingdom of God. PRAYER: Lord, I am grateful for the Golden Rule. I confess that I have not lived by it as I should and ask for forgiveness. Please give me the consciousness to keep the Golden Rule before me, always, and to live by it, so that I will please you, and be a blessing to all around me, in the home, in the Church and in the larger society. In Jesus’ loving Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 28, 2023 | MATTHEW 7:7-12 KEY VERSE: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 (NIV) MESSAGE: One aspect of the Christian life is prayer, communication with God. There are different forms of prayer, among which is petition and intercession. In petition, we ask God to give or do certain things for us. In intercession, we present the needs of other people before God. Asking and receiving is one of the rich benefits of a personal walk with God in this world. In Heaven, we shall not be asking, because everything will be available. It is a practical handle that the Lord gives us as He teaches us about the assurance that we have when we talk to God in prayer. Prayer may not make sense to the person who has not encountered God in a personal way. To such a one, prayer is a religious formality that people undertake to soothe their empty beliefs. But the Lord Jesus spoke about, taught about and practised prayer. In the text for our reflection, the Lord assures us that God answers prayer. The argument underlying the argument of the Lord is the argument of relationship. God hears and answers prayer because of His Father-child relationship with us. ⁹"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matt 7:9-11 (NIV). FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Have you settled the matter of your relationship with God, by trusting Him that He sent Jesus Christ into the world to save you, just you, from sin and the power of Satan? Please do that, and then pray to God, not as a meaningless ritual but as serious business with a loving heavenly Father, who hears and answers the prayers of His children. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I am glad that you sent Jesus Christ to come and die to redeem me from Satan. Please fuel my desire to pray, and to have the faith to believe that you hear and answer me when I call. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 27, 2023 | MATTHEW 7:6 KEY VERSE: "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. . .” Matthew 7:6 (NIV) MESSAGE: We have seen many a doorpost in many places which says BEWARE OF DOGS. Those signs are talking about domestic dogs that may be unfriendly to the visitor, and for which reason, the notice is posted. However, there are more vicious dogs, also described as pigs, by the Lord, who will not only offend the Kingdom citizen physically but also morally and spiritually. The Lord uses the strong terms of “dogs” and “pigs” to describe some types of people with whom Kingdom citizens will have to interact. From a Jewish mouth, the terms here used are strong derogatory words. People who love sin and practice it with gladness are filthy in the eyes of God, no matter how socially well-placed and intellectually advanced. They are dogs and they are pigs. The Kingdom citizen is called to a life of purity by which they manifest the divine image in which humans were initially created. The life of the believer in Christ should, as we saw in our reflection on Matthew 7:1-5, expose the distasteful lifestyle of ungodly people around them. Whether in the marketplace, the neighbourhood or even in the Church, we are to be alerted that there are pigs and there are dogs; people who wallow in filth, love filth and eat back their vomit. Sad to say, there are pigs in the Church, in its pulpits and in its pews (Lord have mercy)! Wherever we may meet such people the lesson here is to avoid cheapening ourselves in our interactions with them by allowing them access to the precious heights that grace has lifted us into. There are pigs and dogs who want to take advantage of the Kingdom citizen sexually, in social dealings, in conversation, and then turn around and disgrace them to the whole world. Pigs and dogs will engage the believer in unacceptable behaviour and then turn around and attack them. Jesus-Followers must be careful not to throw their precious pearls, our salvation, our giftings, our deliverances, our hope for the coming of Christ, our looking forward to the coming of the Lord, the privilege of walking with God, the call to live above sin and Satan and the inexpressible blessings of being children of God etc, before the dogs and pigs of our generation and our environment. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Have you met any dogs and pigs in your journey? Have you thrown some pearls before them? It is time to pick up the broken pieces and place them before the Lord and ask for restoration. Thereafter, beware of dogs, and steer away from pigs! PRAYER: Dear Master Jesus, what a word from your precious lips. But thank you for the truth you communicate, and the demands it places on me. Please guide me by your Spirit within, to guard the divine deposits in me, and to consistently refuse to cast my pearls before pigs, or get dogs to lick my face. For your dear Name’s sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 26, 2023 | MATTHEW 7:1-5 p KEY VERSE: You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7:5 (NIV) MESSAGE: There have been many discussions as to whether a Christian should judge another person, believer or unbeliever. Verse one of our text today is clear; "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Matt 7:1 (NIV). Though it seems to say, “do not judge,” the verse is better understood when it is read along with verses 2 to 5. In the earlier chapters of Matthew, we have seen the Lord describe some people as evil and good (5:45), hypocrites (6:2, 5, 16) and pagans (6:32). In Matthew 7:6 He would describe some people as “dogs,” and “pigs,” serious negative terms when used for another person by a Jew. None of those descriptions above could be made without exercising some form of judgment of the people in question. Is Christ contradicting His word in this text then? Many times, no, if He is read properly and in context. We need to make judgments of people so we know who they are and what places they could have or not have in our lives as Kingdom citizens. If we do not scrutinize our lives then we do not deserve to live, in the same way, if we do not evaluate the people we live with in all interactions, then we do not deserve to live in society. What is the Lord teaching us, therefore? The context of Matthew 7:1-5 forbids us from passing judgment and evaluating other people without first having judged ourselves. It is the assessment of others with a more strict standard than we apply to ourselves that the Lord is forbidding here. It is accusing others of wrongdoing and faulty lifestyles when we practice vices worse than theirs. “⁴How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” Matt 7:4-5 (NIV). The Lord uses the strong word ”hypocrite” to describe us when we fail to see our blindness and presume to guide others in their supposed waywardness. On the other hand, the place of the Kingdom citizen as the light of the world makes them the light that actively, by lifestyles, exposes the evil in individuals and society around them, and prophetically speaks the mind of God against the evils and evil-doers we live with. Paul captures the thought in these words in Eph. 5:11-12 “¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. (NIV) Paul further admonishes, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” Gal 6:1 (NIV). FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: As Kingdom citizens, our lifestyle is to serve as a counter-culture to sinful behaviour around us. Are we any different from wrong-doers in our environment? Are we able to make sanctified judgments, judging without being hypocritical and judgmental? We must draw the lines and not judge hypocritically, so we are not brought into divine judgment. PRAYER: Dear God, you are the Judge of all flesh, and your judgments are without fault. Made in your image I have a responsibility to judge the context in which you have placed me, by the intelligence and the Spirit, you have given me. I only ask dear Father, that I will not judge others while I am as guilty if not more guilty than them. Please help me to make sanctified judgments, in Jesus’ Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 25, 2023 | MATTHEW 6:25-34 KEY VERSE: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (NIV) MESSAGE: Life on earth is tough, and things seem to get more and more difficult with each passing year. We are all seekers of our own comfort, and rightly so, for we were created to have comfort and abundance until sin entered our story through Adam and Eve. Because creation has been brought under a curse, and we also have lost our privilege of rulership on behalf of God, our efforts to get the best out of the resources of the earth is filled with sweat and pain. We have become creatures of worry. We worry about what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, and where to lay our heads. We worry about the present and about the future, about our height and about our size, the colour of our skin and of our, hair and many other things. Citizens of the Kingdom of God are taught by the Lord Jesus not to worry. Why not worry? We are not to worry because God gives us the things that are most important without us asking for them or worrying about them. He gives us life freely. The breath of life in us is more important than any of the things we worry about. We worry about what clothes we do not have and would have been happier to possess, but God gives us the body upon which we want to put the cloth. We are not to worry because God takes care of creatures far smaller and less significant in the scheme of things; he clothes the flowers with beauty though their lifespan is so limited. He feeds the birds of the air, and yet they are not to be compared in value to us. We are not to worry because our heavenly Father knows the things we need to live in this world. We are not to worry because worrying today does not stop tomorrow from bringing out other issues that may bring more worries. We are not to worry because our loving all-sufficient, all-knowing and all-able heavenly Father is aware of our needs, and He has good plans to provide for us at the right time and in the right manner according to His wisdom. Our attitude should be different from those who are not Kingdom citizens, “³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt 6:32-34), NIV. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Is the Lord teaching us to be uncaring about our lives and not take thought to the things that concern our lives? Certainly no. Rather, we are not to become preoccupied with our needs and wants and lose hope. We are to remember God has provided all that we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and has taught us to ask for bread when we pray. Don’t worry, friend, trust God, and be happy. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, worrying comes easy and seems the natural response to the many needs and my many wants around me. But I believe in you more than I fear what surrounds me. Please help me to trust you to provide for me, and in the process enjoy the happiness that comes from casting all my cares upon you. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 24, 2023 | MATTHEW 6:19-24 KEY VERSE: (For) where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21(NIV) MESSAGE: In the verses leading to our text the Lord Jesus had been warning us about the hypocrisy of seeking human earthly applause for religious duty, and showing how it robs us of Heaven’s rewards. In our text today He warns us of the danger of making this world, the things we amass here, the recognition we gain here and the titles and the positions we get from our fellow humans our treasure. Our treasure is whatever we consider essential to our identity, our prosperity, and the content of our present and future security. Just like the hypocrites in the earlier verses, who gained value with humans and lost recognition with God, we become losers when we count our treasure by the standards of this world. On the contrary, the Lord instructs us to lay our treasures in Heaven. This means that we define ourselves by Heaven’s standards; we are because God is. We become because God makes possible our becoming. God is our greatest gain, our main audience and our security in this life and beyond the grave. What we do with our earthly possessions we do in God’s Name and for God’s glory. We seek His approval and His rewards. When our treasures are so measured then our inner orientation (our heart) is re-focused, and dwells on God and all that He stands for, (For) where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21). FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: How do you define yourself and what do you consider your greatest values and valuables? You could choose to value your earthly possessions as your treasure or your approval by Heaven as your treasure. Does God, His demands and directives, form the bases of your life, or something else does? The things that preoccupy our thoughts are the treasures that we have. The Lord Jesus directs, “Store up your treasures in Heaven!” PRAYER: Dear God in Heaven, thank you for alerting me about the things that could take your place in my life and make me lose the blessing of belonging to you and having you as my greatest good and rewarder. In the face of the attractions of this world, and the lies of the evil one, please help me and all who truly seek after you, to lay our treasures in Heaven. In Jesus’ precious Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 23, 2023 | MATTHEW 6:16-18 KEY VERSE: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."Matthew 6:16 (NIV) MESSAGE: Human beings are social beings, and that involves communication. While human speech is a gift of God, it could easily become a gateway to sin and offence to God. The Book of Proverbs in particular has so much to say about human communication and its relationship to our spirituality. The choice of words, rate of talking, and the motives for what is said are some of the indicators of how effectively or otherwise our talking ability is serving a godly purpose or not. James advises that we be slow to speak, quick to listen and slow to get angry. We learn that “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Prov 10:19 (NIV). Therefore sometimes, in order to draw closer to the Lord in prayer and meditation we need to impose a personal silence upon ourselves. This is the spiritual discipline called solitude. We are quiet not because we have lost our voice or do not know how to talk. We are quiet because we are reflecting on God and interacting with Him, humbling ourselves to show that we do not know everything, and we need to be still to see what God will do in particular matters. Read and reflect on Job 2:9-13 ⁹His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" ¹⁰He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. ¹¹When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. ¹²When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. ¹³Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. NIV. The discipline of solitude is a prolonged spiritually beneficial practice that will work for the benefit of the seeker of spiritual power, with or without the abstinence from food. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: When was the last time you spent a day of quietness, deliberately choosing not to enter non-essential talkativity with its attendant dangers of exaggeration, lies, gossip etc? Will you want to try this exciting experience of fasting your speech, for a specified time? I can assure you that you will like it. PRAYER: Dear Lord, please help me to use my gift of speech wisely, and to engage it in my walk with you, not only to speak and sing and witness but also in solitude to draw close to you. In Jesus’ holy Name, Amen. SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 22, 2023 | MATTHEW 6:16-18 KEY VERSE: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. Matthew 6:16 (NIV) MESSAGE: From creation, God intended for humans to enjoy their environment, and to live a satisfied life. This includes food, friendship, sex, music, dance and other forms of entertainment. We can choose to set aside our legitimate entertainment as a way of expressing our intention and desire to do some business with God. We see an illustration of this kind of fast in Dan 6:17-18: ¹⁷A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed. ¹⁸Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and WITHOUT ANY ENTERTAINMENT BEING BROUGHT TO HIM. And he could not sleep. NIV King Darius expressed a wish, call it a prayer, in verse 16, that Daniel would be safe by the hand of God. To further engage with God on the matter of Daniel’s safety in the den of the lions the king refused his usual entertainment. We could imagine no musicians and dancers were brought into the palace that night. He might also have called off any party he had planned. Whereas entertainment seems the usual way that we want to while away our time, and the human being must have fun (for all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy), abstinence from leisure and pleasure is a good prescription for spiritual business. Is it not true that the Bible says “It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to go to a house of feasting, . . . Eccl 7:2a (NIV). What about staying away from football or films for a week or a month? Every time we feel like we should have been watching a match we are reminded of our need for talking to God about a matter, and we redirect our energies to reading Scripture, reflecting on God, and praying. What about the amount of time spent on the internet or social media? To steal away from our legitimate pleasures and to spend such time in communion with God is a wonderful way to go about a fast. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Consider cutting out times of entertainment periodically, to focus on God and to transact business with Him. PRAYER: Dear Lord, there are so many things that give me pleasure, and sometimes take me away from intimate time with you. Please help me find the balance in using these things, and to learn to set them aside sometimes as an act of worshipful transaction with you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 21, 2023 | MATTHEW 6:16-18 KEY VERSE: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” Matthew 6:16 (NIV) MESSAGE: God created us as spiritual beings, but He also made us sexual beings. We are distinguished in our sexuality by maleness and femaleness given at birth and signalled by our physical sexual and reproductive organs. The desire for sexual satisfaction is natural and finds its God-ordained expression within the context of marriage. In Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian church on some issues relating to marriage brought before him, in 1 Cor 7:1-6, leads us to deduce that the Christian couple can use abstinence from sexual activity, which is appropriate for them, as a spiritual exercise of fasting. Paul wrote, “Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. ²But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. ³The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. ⁵Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. NIV For single Kingdom citizens, the period while waiting for marriage can be transformed into a prolonged sexual fast. Every urge or temptation to sexual expression for the single person is an act of fasting performed and registered before God. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: The sex-fast must be by the mutual agreement of the couple, and not the unilateral declaration of one partner, (1 Cor 7:5). Reflect on this thought and commit to maintaining holiness in the matter of sexuality. Married couples should discuss how this truth can be applied between them. PRAYER: Lord, thank you for making me a sexual being. Please help me to engage my sexuality for the development of my spirituality. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!