The Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ; The Hope of The World. – Dec 2022 Newsletter

Topic: The Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ; The Hope of The World.

Text: Isaiah 11:1-10; John 10:9-10

Introduction

The historic celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is being prepared for during this special season of advent. It runs from the last Sunday in November until the Sunday before Christmas. It also serves as the preparation for the second coming of Christ.
Many people are running up and down every day because the world has lost hope, and hope is the driving force that keeps people moving and striving.
Many things are embedded in hope, including peace, faith, joy, goodness, success, and whatever else you can think of as an accomplishment.
Rick Warren mentioned that, “Many people in our broken world ask why things don’t seem to go right so much of the time. They want to know, ‘Is there hope?’” (Rick Warren, Daily Hope 10/18/22).

Real hope, not simply optimism, is what you need.
Being optimistic is psychological; it’s a result of your thought process.
Hope is theological; it is based on your relationship with God and who He is as a person.

Optimism is a state of mind. Hope is a deep faith in Jesus Christ.
The two anchor scriptures describe God’s arrangement to provide humanity with hope. As a result, the points of discussion in this writing will go into greater depth.

1. HE CAME AS THE SAVIOR

2. HE CAME AS THE KING AND THE LORD

3. HE CAME AS THE JUDGE OF ALL

The above points are explained below:

1.) He came as the Savior:

It is obvious that Satan has held various types of people captive, ruled over their lives with the rod of severe punishments in his hand, and rendered people hopeless and helpless.
God was aware of this, and in mercy and compassion for mankind, He communicated through the prophet Isaiah that, “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” (Isaiah 11:1 NLT).
David was regarded as the savior of his time. God brought the people back to the memory of who David was and how the Savior who was to come would come through his lineage to save his people.
Jesus Christ came as the Savior indeed and still the Savior of the world. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus is here! The hope is here!! He is the Savior. He wants to save you now.

2.) He came as the King and the Lord:
The king wields the staff of authority over a territory and exercises command and judgment as he sees fit.

That is what Satan does to people when he gives them false blessings and prosperity in order to catch their attention. He wants everyone to see him as the lord.
As God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, He had a larger plan to govern His people and rescue them from Satanic authority. “And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:2 NLT).
God’s Spirit was placed in His Son, Jesus Christ, to reign as King and Lord over His people. The living hope is in the person with the higher authority.
Jesus Christ reigns mercifully over anyone who recognizes Him as King and Lord.
Rick Warren stated that, “Because of Jesus, God responds in mercy every time you mess up. And that can give you hope.” (Rick Warren, Daily Hope 10/18/22).
3.) He came as the Judge of all:
Satan is known as the accuser of brethren and the swift and unmerciful judge.
God shows mercy in His judgment. Though He is not pleased with the actions of disobedient people, He demonstrates love because of the people’s hopeless and helpless situation.
God revealed to the prophet Isaiah His intention for Jesus to come to His people. “He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited.The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.” (Isaiah 11: 3-4 NLT).
Jesus came to judge all the evil acts perpetrated on the people by satanic orchestrated forces. He came to replace the satanic verdict through curse with everlasting blessing through his blood.
Matthew 28:18 says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (NIV).
Conclusion.
There is no peace in the world, and it is filled with a variety of hopeless and cruel acts. Jesus Christ came to give the world hope and to put an end to Satan’s orchestrated acts.
Jesus Christ is the hope of the world. He is the Redeemer, the Savior, the Giver of life, the Lover of your soul, and the King of kings.
I will encourage you not to let this hour pass you by without being saved. Your soul is important to Jesus Christ, which is why He came to this world to give you hope of eternal life.

Complement of the season to you!
Let us pray.

1.) Lord Jesus, I thank You for coming to this word to save me.

2.) Lord, with mercy, deliver me from every unholy rulership in life.

3.) Jesus, dwell in me and rule over my life.

4.) My hope stands on You alone, Lord Jesus, help me.

5.) Jesus, guide me and let me hide myself in You. Amen.
John Aderogba for ROPMI team.

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WORSHIP GOD WHEN HE SEEMS SILENT – MAY 2022 NEWSLETTER

Topic: WORSHIP GOD WHEN HE SEEMS SILENT

Text: Psalms 10:1; 22:1 (NIV)

10:1 “Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide in times of trouble?

22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?”

INTRODUCTION:
The most difficult experience in the life of a man is the period of loneliness and rejection, because it demoralizes the confident man.

It is a period that incubates man’s dream/vision.

Every great man and woman once passed through this period. Before Abraham became the father of faith, he endured this silent period. Even our Lord Jesus Christ experienced the silence of the God-Head on the cross.

During this period, you may think you don’t know what you are doing. Many will see you as an unserious person. Your ideas will have no meaning to people. Your efforts will be watered down and you will be neglected by your people.

Some people call this period a ‘Closed Heaven Period.’ The time when the heavens are shut and you’re not hearing from God.

This period happened between the Old and the New Testaments when God stopped interacting with men for 400 years.

David, while going through his silent period, cried out to God.

Rick Warren stated that, “It’s easy to worship God when things are going great in your life—when he’s provided food, friends, family, health, and happy situations. But circumstances are not always pleasant.” (Rick Warren Daily Devotional, 01/15/22).

So what would be your reaction when it seems God is silent about your situation?

What you need to do when you are going through the silent period is the focus of discussion in this write-up. These are:

• Acknowledge that God is alive.

• Know that God does not mean evil for you.

• Bow your heart to worshipping God.

1. ACKNOWLEDGE THAT GOD IS ALIVE

The picture the Devil brings to people’s minds during the silent period is to let you feel your God is dead and not active to help you.

The moment you succumb to this devilish thought, you’re captured already.

Job acknowledged that his redeemer is alive, even in his trying time (Job 19:25). This was a poem of worship to reverence his God as an able God who does not sleep nor slumber.

You must come to this point in your life when it seems nothing is working for you and yet acknowledge that your God is alive as a very present help in times of trouble.

As you acknowledge Him, offer him an aroma of worship songs.

2. KNOW THAT GOD DOES NOT MEAN EVIL FOR YOU

God is sovereign in acts to His people. His love for us is so enormous that He cannot let us down. Rick Warren further says; “To mature your friendship, God will test it with periods of seeming separation—times when it seems as if He has abandoned or forgotten you.” (Rick Warren 01/15/22).

Sometimes God would want to check your level of spiritual maturity and how you can depend on Him.

You need to know that God does not mean evil for you. According to Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV), “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Let this verse of the scripture resonate in your mind always, to keep your mind positive about your God, and be hopeful that everything will be alright with you.

3. BOW YOUR HEART TO WORSHIPPING GOD

During the silent period, the target area of man’s life by the Devil is your heart. He will find every means to pollute your heart with the sting of bitterness, resentment, and unholy arrogance of character to people around you and even your God.

Many find it difficult to paise or thank God for being alive; they see it as a natural phenomenon.

Psalms 22:3-5 (NIV) reads thus:

3. “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.

4. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.

5. To you they cried out and were saved; in you, they trusted and were not put to shame.”

David lowered his heart to worship God.

I encourage you also to ponder on what God has done for you and even what you heard or read.

Conclusion

The silent period is inevitable in man’s life, and that is why Jesus Christ also experienced it while on earth. He cried out, “Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani” by asking God why He was forsaken.

The joy of it is that He didn’t lose the battle. He won! That is why you need to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Let’s pray:

Right now, choose any songs of worship to worship your God. As you faithfully do that, you shall experience a unique miracle in your life.

John Aderogba for ROPMi.

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