(Key verses: Hebrews 1:1-3 and 8:14)

In this series we are to consider twelve highlights in the epistle to the Hebrews. This book is massive; we don’t know who the author was, and in a way this doesn’t matter – look up 2 Timothy 3:16. We do know that it was written to Hebrew Christians, that is, to Jews who had moved on from Judaism to Christ, had been born again, but who because of persecution and trial were tempted to go back to their former Jewish religion. What is the theme of the letter? It is the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ; this includes His pre-incarnate glory, His incarnation, His life, His teaching and ministry, His death, resurrection and ascension, His present ministry at God’s right hand, and His second coming. It is also the theme of our first study, centred in chapter 1. Verse 1 shows us the splendour and magnificence of the language which is used and tells us that all down the ages God has spoken to men and women through the prophets. All this revelation of God by the spoken Word was authentic, but it was only preparatory. When Jesus came God spoke fully and finally in Him. But who is Jesus Christ? There is no more important question than this and in this first chapter of Hebrews there are two inspired portraits of the Lord Jesus. If we view them separately and then place them together we get a beautiful composite picture of our Lord’s Person and work.

1. PORTRAIT NUMBER ONE (Hebrews 1:2-3)
   Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? He is the eternal Son of God, brought out in verse 2 – “by his Son”. Jesus is the eternal Son of God who became man for our redemption, and the fact that He is the Son of God is asserted in these two verses by seven characteristics which can only be said of deity:-

(1) He is the “heir of all things” (verse 2). This means that the world was created by Him and for Him. The whole history of this world has been mediated through God’s Son. How great He is!
(2) He is the creator of the universe (verse 2). It was by Him that the worlds were made (John 1:3); compare Colossians 1:16. This simple statement from Scripture is very satisfying in these days when unregenerate men place a question mark over the biblical account of the creation.
(3) He is the radiance of God’s glory (verse 3). This is a beautiful expression. It means a shining forth, just as the sunshine in which we revel is the radiance of the sun itself. The Lord Jesus was and is the shining forth of the magnificence and majesty of the eternal God. Bow and worship Him!
(4) He is the exact representation of His being (verse 3). He is the visible expression of all that God is – look up and compare John 1:18. Jesus is the exact replica of God (John 14:9).
(5) He is the One who upholds the universe (verse 3). Jesus holds it together and controls it (Colossians 1:17). Science has an answer to the mystery of the universe and has discovered many great laws, but behind these is the Lord Himself.
(6) He has provided purification for our sins (verse 3). Notice that it is in the past tense: there is no future purgatory because the work is finished.
(7) He is seated in the place of authority and power (verse 3). The words “right hand” mean the place of power and authority (Matthew 28:19). He is also sitting down because His work is done; no priest of the old dispensation could ever do this because his work was never finished (Hebrews 10:11-12,14).

2- PORTRAIT NUMBER TWO (Hebrews 1:8-14)
Notice again that in verse 8 our Lord is spoken of as “the Son”. But who is He?

(1) He is the King in His kingdom (verse 8). He is the Son and He has an eternal throne; His administration is always just, and He has a kingdom.
(2) He is the altogether sinless One (verse 9). Look up 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:26; 9:13-14. He is the sinless Son of God.
(3) He is the designer of the universe (verse 10). This is a repetition of what we saw in our first portrait, but with more details. The language is very precise.
(4) He is the eternal creator (verse 11). The Lord Jesus will never “perish”. Everything else will wear out and pass away; He remains the same!
(5) He is the unchanging One (verse 12). The present system will change and there will be a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:11-13); compare the great words recorded in Hebrews 13:8.
(6) He is the final conqueror (verse 13). Ultimately He will overcome all His enemies. He is waiting for this time to come when He will manifest His power and put down all who oppose Him (Hebrews 10:13). Never doubt this, and make quite sure that you are on His side now.
(7) He is the Lord of angels (verse 14). The angels are God’s messengers, who have been described as ‘God’s errand boys’! They are sent out by Him to minister to and for those who are the heirs of salvation. This means the angels are commissioned by the Lord Jesus to look after all who belong to Him and trust Him as their Saviour and Lord.

These two portraits show our Lord Jesus in the glory of His unique Person and in the all-sufficiency of His finished work. They present Him as the Son of God – our glorious, sovereign, reigning and soon-coming Lord!

1. SPEND TIME PLANNING AND ORGANIZING. Using time to think and plan is time well-spent. In fact, if you fail to take time for planning, you are, in effect, planning to fail. Organize in a way that makes sense to you. If you need color and pictures, use a lot on your calendar or planning book. Some people need to have papers filed away; others get their creative energy from their piles. So forget the “shoulds” and organize your way.

2. SET GOALS. Goals give your life, and the way you spend your time, direction. When asked the secret to amassing such a fortune, one of the famous Hunt brothers from Texas replied: “First you’ve got to decide what you want.” Set goals which are specific, measurable, realistic and achievable. Your optimum goals are those which cause you to “stretch” but not “break” as you strive for achievement. Goals can give creative people a much-needed sense of direction.

3. PRIORITIZE. Use the 80-20 Rule originally stated by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who noted that 80 percent of the reward comes from 20 percent of the effort. The trick to prioritizing is to isolate and identify that valuable 20 percent. Once identified, prioritize time to concentrate your work on those items with the greatest reward. Prioritize by color, number or letter — whichever method makes the most sense to you. Flagging items with a deadline is another idea for helping you stick to your priorities.

4. USE A TO DO LIST. Some people thrive using a daily To Do list which they construct either the last thing the previous day or first thing in the morning. Such people may combine a To Do list with a calendar or schedule. Others prefer a “running” To Do list which is continuously being updated. Or, you may prefer a combination of the two previously described To Do lists. Whatever method works is best for you. Don’t be afraid to try a new system — you just might find one that works even better than your present one!

5. BE FLEXIBLE. Allow time for interruptions and distractions. Time management experts often suggest planning for just 50 percent or less of one’s time. With only 50 percent of your time planned, you will have the flexibility to handle interruptions and the unplanned “emergency.” When you expect to be interrupted, schedule routine tasks. Save (or make) larger blocks of time for your priorities. When interrupted, ask Alan Lakein’s crucial question, “What is the most important thing I can be doing with my time right now?” to help you get back on track fast.

6. CONSIDER YOUR BIOLOGICAL PRIME TIME. That’s the time of day when you are at your best. Are you a “morning person,” a “night owl,” or a late afternoon “whiz?” Knowing when your best time is and planning to use that time of day for your priorities (if possible) is effective time management.

7. DO THE RIGHT THING RIGHT. Noted management expert, Peter Drucker, says “doing the right thing is more important than doing things right.” Doing the right thing is effectiveness; doing things right is efficiency. Focus first on effectiveness (identifying what is the right thing to do), then concentrate on efficiency (doing it right).

8. ELIMINATE THE URGENT. Urgent tasks have short-term consequences while important tasks are those with long-term, goal-related implications. Work towards reducing the urgent things you must do so you’ll have time for your important priorities. Flagging or highlighting items on your To Do list or attaching a deadline to each item may help keep important items from becoming urgent emergencies.

9. PRACTICE THE ART OF INTELLIGENT NEGLECT. Eliminate from your life trivial tasks or those tasks which do not have long-term consequences for you. Can you delegate or eliminate any of your To Do list? Work on those tasks which you alone can do.

10. AVOID BEING A PERFECTIONIST. In the Malaysian culture, only the gods are considered capable of producing anything perfect. Whenever something is made, a flaw is left on purpose so the gods will not be offended. Yes, some things need to be closer to perfect than others, but perfectionism, paying unnecessary attention to detail, can be a form of procrastination.

11. CONQUER PROCRASTINATION. One technique to try is the “Swiss cheese” method described by Alan Lakein. When you are avoiding something, break it into smaller tasks and do just one of the smaller tasks or set a timer and work on the big task for just 15 minutes. By doing a little at a time, eventually you’ll reach a point where you’ll want to finish.

12. LEARN TO SAY “NO.” Such a small word — and so hard to say. Focusing on your goals may help. Blocking time for important, but often not scheduled, priorities such as family and friends can also help. But first you must be convinced that you and your priorities are important — that seems to be the hardest part in learning to say “no.” Once convinced of their importance, saying “no” to the unimportant in life gets easier.

13. REWARD YOURSELF. Even for small successes, celebrate achievement of goals. Promise yourself a reward for completing each task, or finishing the total job. Then keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward. Doing so will help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play.

Key Verses: “For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.”
(2 Chronicles 15: 3-4)

In this series we are to consider some of the Secrets of Successful Living. Of course, no one can begin to live successfully without knowing God, and first of all we must understand how we can come to know Him for ourselves. The subject is brought before us in 2 Chronicles 15:1-19, and it is pin-pointed in the above key verses. There is only one true God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3), and the greatest blessing which anyone can experience in this life is to find the true God, but the greatest tragedy is to pass through life without ever finding Him. In our key verses we have a brief description of one phase of Israel’s history, but it also describes thousands of people throughout the world. Notice how this brief portion of scripture unfolds to give us a sequence of teaching.

THEY WERE WITHOUT THE TRUE GOD
Verse 3 tells us that this had been true of them “for a long time”. They were Godless, less God – look up Ephesians 2:12. This is a perfect description of multitudes of people today; they are living without God. He does not enter into their thoughts, except in times of emergency, and He has not been welcomed into their lives. The Israelites still believed in the existence of God, and they experienced and benefited from His providences, but for all that they were “without the true God”. We are not told they were without a god, for everyone worships a god of some kind – the god of self, money, pleasure or ambition. These words in verse 3, therefore, are descriptive of many people – “for a long time…without the true God”.

THEY WERE WITHOUT A TEACHING PRIEST
A “teaching priest” was one whose duty it was to teach the people the truth of God. Who are the teaching priests today? Every faithful preacher and teacher of the Word of God is one of God’s teaching priests. But the majority of people are outside the influence of these teachers and preachers; they do not attend church or listen to an exposition of the scriptures, and they do not read the Bible or the kind of literature which would inform them about the truths of God. In consequence of this, there is an appalling ignorance of the things of God, and the average person knows nothing of God’s way of salvation – look up Ephesians 2:8-10. Many have experienced a taste of “churchianity” or “religiosity”, but very few know the way of salvation as it is revealed in the person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – compare John 14:6; Acts 4:12 and Romans 1:16.

THEY WERE WITHOUT LAW
Verse 3 tells us this. The priests were the guardians of the law, and to be without a priest meant, therefore, to be without the law. If anyone wanted to know the law in those days he had to go to a priest; but today, thank God! we have His law, His Word, in the Bible. However, the majority of people do not read the Bible, and therefore they are “without (the) law”. The law is God’s standard of what is right and wrong, but the vast majority of people take their standard from the media: (1) the newspaper; (2) the radio; (3) the television; (4) the cinema. Therefore, because God’s standard has been rejected and the world’s, or man’s or the Devil’s standard has been substituted, our civilisation has become increasingly corrupted. The great need today is to get back to the Bible, the true standard, the only book which contains the authentic revelation of God and of His love, His grace, His Son and of His way of saving men and women.

WHEN TROUBLE CAME THEY TURNED TO THE LORD
Verse 4 tells us this, and from verses 5 and 6 we find that the trouble came because they had left God out of their reckoning and out of their lives. Trouble will always come to nations and to individuals if they reject the Lord. Notice that it was the Lord who sent the trouble; it was His judgment on sin and His loving method of causing them to turn back to Him – see what it says at the end of verse 6. Does God work like this today? He does! He often sends trouble into a man’s life in order that that man, who for many years has lived only for himself, might turn back to the Lord and find Him. The Prodigal had to come to himself before he was ready to come to his father (Luke 15:11-24). For a further illustration of this truth read Psalm 106, where we see that when these people had been severely chastened they turned to the Lord. Then what happened?

THEY FOUND THE TRUE GOD
In verse 4 there are three words which tell us how to find God, or, more correctly, how to be found of Him. We must:
TURN from sin and from self (1 Thessalonians 1:9);
SEEK the Lord and His pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7); and
FIND the true God (2 Chronicles 15:2,4 and 15).
How wonderfully this little bit of ancient history ends – “He was found by them”
(2 Chronicles 15:4 and 15)! Have you found Him? – look up Proverbs 8:17.

Rev Festus Alade

Pastor, First Baptist Church, New Bussa

Faithfulness means been truthful and accountable in all our ways. The only thing people do not want is faithfulness. One can be faithful in little the Bible says is also faithful in much. So faithfulness in little means faithfulness in much.

Parable of talent tells us about those steward who are faithful to the talent given to them by gaining more for their master. The one with five talents gain five more talent and he became ruler over ten town, the one with two talent he gain two more yet, he became ruler of two nations, but the one who he gave one talent hidden it and he was condemned. Any one who is faithful will receive excellent reward form his master. Our master is Christ who will reward us of our faithfulness in all areas of our live.

Remember God is faithful in all his ways to all human kind. He is faithful in his word, he never say a thing and not bring it to pass. God is faithful to all his creation. He also want us to be faithful no matter what we are passing through.

Have faith in him, he can do all things for you, believe and be faithful.

Remain bless.

Festus Olu Ade Alade

Provost ICCEM.

House Fellowship FEBRUARY 17, 2019
BIBELI KIKA: Ps.1:1-6

Koko Oro ninu Bibeli kika yi ni Rinrin, Di Duro ati Ji Joko nibi ti ko to si omo Olorun. Nitori a fe lati dagba ninu Emi lodun yi lati lee je Olotito si Kristi, a nilo lati mo awon to ye ka ma ba rin, awon to ye ka ma duro soro ti ati ibi ti o ye ka ma joko soro. Fun idi eyi, a o gbadura:

1. Emi Mimo si mi loju kin le mo awon to ye ki n ma ba rin po ki n ma baa sina
2. Emi Mimo e si mi loju inu kin le rina ri iwa awon ore ti mo ni lowolowo
3. Kristi ma je ki nrin oku ona, Fi ese mi le ona iye re ti yoo silekun ibukun fun mi lojoojumo.
4. Ma je ki awon asinilona aye si mi lona tabi gba mi lona iye re
5. Ibi ti ko ye ki nti duro ma je ki nduro nibe
6. Mo ko lati duro lona awon elese,
7. Ma je ki njoko ni ibujoko awon elegan, gba agbara egan kuro laye mi.
8. Ranmi lowo kin le ma se asaro ninu oro re lojoojumo, kin le rina ri awon ibukun loju ona naa
9. Se mi ni igi ti a gbin seti ipa odo, ti ewe re kii re.
10. Se mi ni igi eleso rere ati igi ibukun fun elomiran
11. Je ki ohun gbogbo ti mo ba dawole ma se deede, ma je ki nsaseti lona mi gbogbo
12. Mo agbara igbega fun ogo Kristi lodun yi
13. Mo koja lo sibi giga rere aye mi lodun yi
14. Mo ko lati pada leyin Kristi lodun yi
15. Emi Mimo e se mi ni olooto fun ogo re lodun yi
16. Gba mi lowo gbogbo arekereke Satani ki o si mu mi segun nigba gbogbo loruko Jesu
17. Se mi ni orisun ibunkun agbayanu fun gbogbo eniyan to ba yi mi ka loruko Jesu oluwa.
18. Jesu Omo Olorun e gba mi lowo gbogbo agbara aisan, ajalu, Iku, Ijona, ati inira loruko Jesu Kristi
19. Mo wo inu majemu ominira, Iye, alaafia, igbega, aluyo, iserere, itesiwaju ati oriire lodun yi loruko Jesu Kristi.
20. Jesu Kristi, se mi ni asoju re nibi gbogbo ti mo ba wa gegebi iriju rere olooto fun ogo re nikan loruko Jesu Kristi.
    E fi iyin kase adura yin nile, ki enikookan jo niwaju Olorun fun idahun awon adura naa.

Prepared by Festus Olu Ade Alade- Pastor First Baptist Church, New Bussa

Text: Psalm 1

Introduction
The Book of Psalms in the Old Testament is God’s answer to the headaches and heartaches of life. Without it the Bible would not be complete – as a matter of fact, next to the Gospels, Psalms is probably the most read part of the Bible because of the reality and the promises found there! David powerfully summarizes where we find blessed and happy people!

The “Book of Praises” begins with “the happy man.” Someone has correctly observed that, Job is the Unhappy Man in the Bible, Psalms expresses the Happy Man, Proverbs presents the Wise Man, Ecclesiastes reveals the Worldly Man, and the Song of Solomon exalts the Heavenly Man. From Genesis 30:13 we learn that the word “blessed” means “happy” The hymn says, “trust and obey for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus…”

The Psalm says that the way to happiness is to be found in this triplet (three things):

1. Be careful where you WALK :- Your Counsellors, Teachers, we used to “walk” according to the way of the world, but instead we supposed to walk in the Spirit, according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the Bible. Your walk today should be “in him” (Col. 2:6). Where you walk shows who influences you. Do you allow yourself to walk with fools, or wise? (Pr 13:20) Who you walk with will determine how you end up. What counsel do you turn to? Your music or your Bible? (Eccl 7:5)
2. Be careful where you STAND – Your habits – doing things the world’s way instead of God’s way. Your stand should be “in the power of his might” (Eph. 6: 10). We used to stand against God and stand only in our own strength (flesh). Sinners have a “way” about them – a way of talking, a way of lying, a way of manipulating. All around we see teens “standing” together – be careful where you stand!
3. And be careful where you SIT – your ATTITUDES. Look at the attitude that develops – scorn – mockery – bitterness, People today just “sit in judgment” of everybody and everything, especially those who are TRYING to do right. Off cuss, birds of a feather are supposed to flock together – scorners, mockers are always walk, stand and sit together. You can say not to it today if you are going to be a blessed. Your seat now is “in heavenly places” (Eph. 2:6) at the feet of Jesus, “not in the counsel of the ungodly,” not in the “way of sinners,” and not in the “seat of the scornful.”

THE ANTIDOTE TO SIN: The antidote to these is verse 2. If you do verse 2, you will not be found doing verse 1.
• To “delight in the law of the Lord” (1:2) is to value it more than your “necessary food” (according to Job 23:12) and to rejoice over it the same way you would rejoice at finding over a million Naira-Ps.119:162).
• To meditate “day and night” means to read it in the morning and then think about it throughout the day, and even after the sun sets or the lights go out. Requires memorisation (Ps 119:11). Don’t just study the easy parts of Scripture – good start – but the food is in learning even the word off hand – Ps 119:97-104. Think about the words of this Book and remind yourself what it says.

THE REWARD OF VERSE 2
“A tree planted” is one that God plants (see Mt 15:13). You can try and setup everything you want in life: business, a family, career, but it won’t amount to anything of value (Psalm 127:1). It is a life planted by “rivers of water” -John 7:38) – more than you will ever need! Not a boring, simple book, but an infinite source of truth, and promises and wisdom and hope!
Three types of success to be experienced:
a. He “bringeth forth his fruit in his season”: God plants something in us that bears fruit at the right time – gifted for service, it is NOT instantly known at salvation, but it will be evident, at the right season, This is the fruit of the Spirit’s presence in your life (Gal 5:22-24)
b. His leaf “shall not wither” as the fig tree of Matthew 21:19, that dried up from the roots. It Simply describing abundant health. Sin won’t be wearing you out like it used to (Rom 6:23a). Long life is promised to humble servants who stay close to their Master and
c. “Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Joshua 1:8)
These ungodly are only actors – they only have shells, but no substance! They shall not be able to “stand in the judgment” (i.e. they will fall down). They will not appear in the “congregation of the righteous” in heaven as defined in Heb. 12:22-23. They and their way “shall perish” (see Ps. 49:12, 17-20) See also John 3:16!

CONCLUSION
Think about this helpful question and give the right answer for it. Which “man” are you? Are you walking with the wrong friends? Watching the wrong TV and movies? Where are you getting your “counsel”? Who has the power to tell you how to live and what to think, and how to react? How is your attitude? Are you stuck, sitting with scornful people, mocking the Bible, and ignoring God’s will for your life? Or… Are you delighting in God’s word? (10 chapters a day?), Meditating in it? Exploring it and studying it, and living it? And what kind of fruit is in your life? More and more sin, or more and more Godliness?
Be MAN enough to do what is necessary to become the blessed man of Psalm 1, and not the ungodly man!

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