May 2017 Theme: Covenant Season of Kingdom Purity
Inspirational Monthly Devotional
A key is for access. As small as it usually is when compared to the size of the door or other objects it opens; not having it can mean denial of access to the treasure behind the door or gate. The kingdom of God is accessed by keys. The key of purity (holiness) is the primary key that allows us initial and progressive access into the kingdom. The process of sanctification is the God-ordained means of using this key. Starting with our justification at new birth, we are progressively sanctified through the entrance of God's word. Our responsibility is to keep doing the works of righteousness by faith and integrity. The Lord supplies the grace and the glory until we are perfected on the last day. May the Lord continue to grant us grace to keep working out our salvation in Jesus name. Amen. Meditation: John 1:12-14; Phil. 3:12-16; John 1:6-11; Ps. 15:1-5; Matt. 25:1-13
Week 1 Kingdom Access Key of Purity (Download audio message here)
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Week 2 Embracing Holiness in Zion (Download audio message here)
The word Zion has several meanings in Scripture through historical timelines. Occurring over 150 times, it essentially refers to a place of fortification. It is a place where God meets with His people and offers them deliverance, holiness and empowerment. As Christians, God dwells in us and amongst us. At Lifegate Church, we have an equip strategy that helps us to make the most of our gathering in Zion regularly. This includes worship, ministry and fellowship. Worship is what we offer to God, ministry is what God does to us and fellowship is what we do with one another. The Scripture says they go from strength to strength each one of them as they appear in Zion. This equip strategy therefore facilitates our physical, emotional and spiritual strengthening - thereby helping us to keep perfecting holiness in the fear of God. May the Lord continue us to keep making the most of Zion through our journey of progressive sanctification in Jesus mighty name. Amen. Meditation: Obadiah 1:17-21; Hebrews 12:22-24; Psalms 84:7-11; I John 1:5-7
The Greek Island of Patmos is in the Aegean Sea on about 32 square miles. Around AD 60, there was extreme persecution of the church by the Roman Empire, hence the exile and detention of believers like John (the last surviving Apostle) on the Island. At that time, exile was a common punishment for those thought to be superstitious including Christians. It was on this Island that John got the extraordinary apocalyptic visions that culminated into the book of revelations at the end of the first century (circa AD 96). He wrote what he saw and sent to 7 churches in seven cities. The seven cities ( Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea) symbolised all of the churches at that time. The FIRST letter was written to Ephesus, a rich port city with about 200,000 people in John's time. Apostle Paul lived in Ephesus at about AD 50 and the city had been known for the worship of Artimis (or Diana according to the Romans) i.e. the goddess of fertility. Artimis was the centre of religious life in Ephesus, a town also known for sexual immorality. The believers at Ephesus despite originally being torn between these social challenges started off their faith strong with an obvious display of affection for the Lord. They also stood against the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which at that time promoted the acceptance of some immoral conduct for believers. However, the Lord instructed John to write them that they had forgotten their first love by becoming apathetic and they needed to return. Hence, like all the letters, the LETTER to EPHESUS was in the form of Commendation, Complaint and Correction. Like the Ephesian church, WE too can easily fall prey to a cold, mechanical observance of religion by easily focussing solely on doctrinal purity and hard work, to the exclusion of true love for Christ. As this letter shows, no amount of zeal for the truth or moral rectitude can replace a heart full of love for Jesus. Sin and dead orthodxy are two major causes of Spiritual Apathy and only true repentance and renewal can restore our First Love. May the Lord continue to expound these words in our hearts in Jesus name. Amen. Meditation: Rev. 2:1-8; Matt. 24:3-14; John 14:21-23; I John 1:9; Heb, 10:25
Week 3 Overcoming Spiritual Apathy (Download audio message here)
Week 4 Overcoming Persecution (Download audio message here)
Smyrna was a large, important city on the western coast of Asia Minor, famed for its schools of medicine and science. The word Smyrna means Myrrh or Suffering and the words of Jesus to the church in Smyrna in Revelation 2:8-11 offer insight into the life of a first-century congregation in which there are many applications for today’s believers. The church was believed to have been established at about the time Paul was in Ephesus. The Church at Smyrna received the greatest amount of persecution due to her steadfastness and zeal. Just like the church in Philadelphia, the church at Smyrna also had no condemnation but only commendation. Despite their state of physical poverty and tribulation, Jesus called them rich. Smyrna exists today in modern Turkey as Izmir and in comparison to Ephesus (which only currently exists in ruins as part of the city called Kusadasi) it still has Christians who are still being persecuted. The letter to Smyrna is for us today to understand that true riches come from a spiritual base of righteousness. It also teaches us to understand that standing for the Truth could attract modern day persecution from the establishment, other religions and false christians. Jesus said if they persecuted Him, they would persecute us. However, we must learn that persecution when endured leads to an eternal blessing. It also has several values in this life. First, it allows us to share a unique fellowship with the Lord. Second persecution allows us to develop endurance and maturity in our Christian walk and third, prosecution allows us to better value the support of true friends as we face tribulations. Meditation: Rev. 2:8-11; II Tim. 3:12; James 1:12; Phil. 3:8; James 1:2-4; Acts 4:13-31; John 16:32-33
Pergamon means much marriage. It is the Current day Bergarma in Turkey - located on a 1000-ft mountain. It was a political centre of Rome in Asia Minor. Pergamon was the city for the ancient pagan cults of Athena, Asklepios, Dionysius, imperial , and Zeus. In 1871 an altar was found bearing the inscription "Zeus, the Saviour." "even where Satan's seat is and dwells." (Rev. 2:13). Zeus was the chief of the Greek gods. Pergamum was a "citadel" with the largest library in the ancient world. The word parchment was derived from Pergamum —a writing material developed from animal skin. The letter to the church of Pergamon rebuked the congregation for fraternising with those who held the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitanes. Their teachings set a stumbling block to trick the people of God to compromise. They are teachings that makes sin justifiable, belittled and bearable. This is the devil's plan to corrupt the church from within. And Jesus said if the church continues to the tolerate falsehood then He will fight against them with the two edged word from his mouth. May the Lord continue to help us to rise above compromise in these evil times in Jesus name, Amen. Meditation: Jude1:11; 2 Peter 2:14- 15; Romans 14:1–5, 1 John 5:19, Rev. 2:6,12-17, Num. 22:1–25:15; James 4:4-5
Week 5 Resisting Compromise (Download audio message here)
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