Wesley Methodist Church IBA

*METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA*

DAILY REFLECTION FOR

_THURSDAY OCTOBER 14, 2021_

*_TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 5:23 – 33_*
²³ "So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders.
²⁴ And you said: 'Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives.
²⁵ Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die.
²⁶ For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
²⁷ You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.'
²⁸ Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken.
²⁹ Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
³⁰ Go and say to them, "Return to your tents."
³¹ But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.'
³² Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
³³ You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

*THEME: _THE AWESOME GOD 1_*

*MESSAGE*
The leaders of Israel who went with Moses to Mount Sinai could no longer withstand what they experienced. When the awesomeness of God manifested, their unworthy natures were exposed and they started begging Moses to allow them to leave.

The Bible in Hebrews 12:29 tells us that our God is a consuming fire. If God be our father and our father is a consuming fire, it then means in our DNA, we are carriers of same gene with our father which is Fire and so there is no need hiding when He manifests Himself as Fire, if we remain His sons and daughters. Isaiah 59: 1 makes us understand that the hand of God is not short to deliver, nor His ear deaf to hear, but sin has brought a separation between us and God. Sin can extinguish the fire faster than we can think. Beware of sin, Beloved Brother/Sister.

No child in right relationship with his father will quake or hide at hearing or perceiving his father's voice. Moses had a cordial relationship with God; he remained and was refined by the fire of His presence, which he needed veil thereafter to enable the Israelites see his face, but the rest fled because of their unworthiness (2Cor. 12-14).

Peter and others experienced same with Jesus at the mount of transfiguration, when the awesomeness of Christ was revealed. Peter requested never to go back again to the world (Mark 9:2-6). Similarly, His awesome presence is assured when we live right. He loves and desires our fellowship and presence more than our money and gifts.

Have you ever heard from God as a child of God? When last did God speak to you? Discover quickly those barriers and deal with them before the wrath of His presence consumes you.

*HYMN: EMHB 343* _(L.M.)_
1 "Wherewith, O God, shall I draw near,
And bow myself before Thy face?
How in Thy purer eyes appear?
What shall I bring to gain Thy grace?

2. Whoe'er to Thee themselves approve
Must take the path Thy Word hath, showed,
Justice pursue, and mercy love,
And humbly walk by faith with God.

3. But though my life henceforth be Thine,
Present for past can ne'er atone;
Though I to Thee the whole resign,
I only give Thee back Thine own.

4. What have I then wherein to trust?
I nothing have, I nothing am;
Excluded is my every boast,
My glory swallowed up in shame.

5. Guilty I stand before Thy face,
On me I feel Thy wrath abide;
'Tis just the sentence should takeplace;
"Tis just—but O Thy Son hath died!

6. Jesus, the Lamb of God, hath bled,
He bore our sins upon the tree;
Beneath our curse He bowed His head;
'Tis finished! He hath died for me!

7. See where before the throne He stands,
And pours the all-prevailing prayer,
Points to His side, and lifts His hands,
And shows that I am graven there.

8. He ever lives for me to pray;
He prays that I with Him may reign:
Amen to what my Lord doth say!
Jesus, Thou canst not pray in vain.

_MEMORY VERSE:_
Deuteronomy 5:24“And you said: Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet He still lives.”

*PRAYER:*
Lord, in Your mercy, remove that which punctures my relationship with You. Show me Your glory and make my life a radiance of Your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

_Read -_
Day: John 1;
Night: Hos. 10-14

*METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA*

DAILY REFLECTION FOR

_MONDAY JULY 19, 2021_

*_TEXT: PHILIPPIANS 4:6-9_*
⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

*THEME: _DO AS TAUGHT_*

*MESSAGE*
Apostle Paul advises Christians to focus on things that please God and express His character (4:8-9). He then adds: “whatever you have learned from me ... put it into practice,” (4:9). It is worth remembering that before the New Testament books were written and accepted, the only standard for Christian teaching and behaviour was to be found in people who accurately reflected the authority and ethical standards of our Lord.

As believers, prayer is essential to us to do as we were taught from the Holy Scriptures with the following reasons:

• Through prayers we renew our trust in the Lord's faithfulness by casting all our anxieties and problems on Him who cares for us (Matt. 6:25-34;1 Pet. 5:7).
• The peace of God comes to guard our hearts and minds as a result of our communion with Christ Jesus (vs. 6-7).
• We receive mercy, grace and help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).
• We are assured that in all things God works for our good (Vs 11; Rom. 8:2).

To experience God's peace and freedom from anxiety, believers must fix their minds on those things that are true, noble, right, pure, etc. if we do these things, says Apostle Paul, “the God of peace shall be with you” (Vs 9). The consequence of fixing our minds on unholy things of the world is that the joy of God's nearness and peace are lost and our hearts are no longer guarded.

Beloved in the Lord, for us to enjoy the presence of God and his blessings always, we need to abide in Him, because without Him, we can do nothing. May the Lord grant us the grace to follow Him in all circumstances, in Jesus' name. Amen.

*HYMN: EMHB 557* _(CM)_
1. WHAT is our calling's glorious hope
But inward holiness?
For this to Jesus I look up,
I calmly wait for this.

2. I wait, till He shall touch me clean,
Shall life and power impart,
Give me the faith that casts out sin
And purifies the heart.

3. This is the dear redeeming grace,
For every sinner free;
Surely it shall on me take place,
The chief of sinners, me.

4. From all iniquity, from all,
He shall my soul redeem;
In Jesus I believe, and shall
Believe myself to Him.

5. When Jesus makes my heart His home,
My sin shall all depart;
And lo, He saith: I quickly come,
To fill and rule thy heart.

6. Be it according to Thy word
Redeem me from all sin;
My heart would now receive Thee, Lord,
Come in, my Lord, come in!Amen.

_MEMORY VERSE:_
Philippians 4:9- “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

*PRAYER:*
Eternal Father, give me the grace to be the doer of Your Word not the hearer only, in Jesus' name. Amen.

_Read -_
Day: Act 2;
Night: Psalm 146-150

*METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA*
DAILY REFLECTION FOR MONDAY APRIL 26, 2021_

*_TEXT: MARK 12:28-34_*
²⁸ Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
²⁹ Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
³¹ And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
³² So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
³³ And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
³⁴ Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.

*THEME: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOURS

*MESSAGE*
Following our meditation yesterday, to be practical with your love, you don't need to travel far and wide before you become real with your love. The subject of neighbourliness was well emphasized by Christ in His ministry on earth. Many a time you might be tempted to be looking for who to express your acts of love to.

You may assume that there is no one around you that is in need. But today you need to look inward into your neighbourhood. Jesus gave us a definition of who your neighbour is in his popular parable of the good Samaritan, who helped a wounded Jew, a stranger for that matter (Luke 10:30-37).

Your neighbour is not limited to where you live. It might be in your office environment; it might be on the road; it might be at a meeting; it might be anywhere. There is a person around you that needs help, encouragement or support in any way. You are expected to meet these needs as much as God grants you the enablement to do so.

It is then important for you to define what it means to be in need. To be in need may not be that you need money or that you are poor. The need of a man goes beyond physical or material things. You may need to ask the Lord how you can be of help to the people around you and He will guide you into loving your neighbour.

As you go out this Monday and this week, be on the look-out for a neighbour to help as an act of love. You may be led to ask somebody today, how you can be of help and you may be surprised how God can use you in this regard.

*HYMN: EMHB 442* _(C.M.)_
1. HAPPY the heart where graces reign,
Where love inspires the breast;
Love is the brightest of the train,
And perfects all the rest.

2. Knowledge, alas, 'tis all in vain,
And all in vain our fear;
Our stubborn sins will fight and reign,
If love be absent there.

3. 'Tis love that makes our cheerfulfeet
In swift obedience move:
The devils know, and tremble too;
But Satan cannot love.

4. This is the grace that lives and sings,
When faith and hope shall cease;
"Tis this shall strike our joyful strings
In the sweet realm of bliss.

5. Before we quite forsake our clay,
Or leave this dark abode,
The wings of love bear us away
To see our gracious God.

_MEMORY VERSE:_
Mark 12:33b "…And to love one's neighbour as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

*PRAYER:*
Lord Jesus, don't allow me to miss any opportunity to be of help to somebody that needs it around me or on my path today. Amen.

_Read -_
Day: Mark 2;
Night: Josh 16-18