As long as there have been Christians, there has been a need for them to be shepherded and steered so that they remain connected to the source of their salvation - Christ. The reason for this is simple. The devil has systematically worked to destroy the Body of Christ by injecting dangerous thinking and practices that serve only to create distance between individuals and the God Christ died to reconcile them to.
This issue persists in our day and is arguably worse than it has ever been. Believers can attest to the necessity to keep striving in their faith and godly learning. Several distractions and attitudes contrive to side-track once-fervent Christians to stray from the God they love. They become lukewarm, like those Christ warned of in Revelation 3:16 - So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. These are those who have not donned their Kingdom Identity but cosplay as Christians and sit on the fence. They are ineffective for God's kingdom and thus serve satan's evil devices.
So that we do not become like such individuals, we are told in Colossians 2:6 - So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. We are expected to continue living in Christ, meaning simply submitting to His authority is not enough. We have to allow Him to change us and remake us so our daily lives reflect Him and not the ways of the world. This happens as we receive and surrender to the Holy Spirit, creating a progressive relationship that deepens over time. As we do this increasingly, Christ will be our foundation and we will root ourselves in His instructions, reading the word of God so we understand what He expects. The more we do this, the more we will have experiences that build and strengthen our faith, putting it to work for His glory. And to cap it all off, we shall overflow in thankfulness in the good and bad times because we will know that all things are working out for our good.
Remaining rooted in Christ means we cannot disconnect from Him. Colossians 2:19 warns that some "have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow." We have to remember that Christ is the vine and He taught us in John 15:5 that it is only if we remain connected to Him that we will bear fruit. Fruit that will feed others and set them free. These others could be our children or their descendants. They could be the stranger who needs to see Christ's freeing light in us so that they equally seek the vine to which we are connected. Remember that as believers we have a responsibility not only to our fellow Christians but to unbelievers as well. We are to spread the good news of undeserved grace received through Christ that guarantees access to the best place to spend eternity - heaven.
Let us be resolute in continuing to live our lives in Christ. Let us take the intentional steps to keep the relationship going and growing. That we, being rooted in Christ, may serve God's kingdom here on earth, never becoming the lukewarm who will be spat out by the Savior. IJMN, Amen.
Come back at Noon EST for fellowship so that we may continue living lives rooted in Christ. God bless you.
From M22 - Abba Father I pray that you help us to focus on thanking you in very situation. We know it is human of us to throw blames and grumble but we ask that you help us thank you and put the devil to shame IjMN. Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER
Hallelujah! Father, You are great and mighty, You are our Everlasting King and we are grateful for Your mercy and kindness upon us.
As we come to the end of today's fellowship, we thank You for teaching us today and call on You to continue to teach us that we may obey Your word. Take all the glory, Lord.
Keep Your children and guide them in Your way and Your word. For those who come to participate later, may they also learn and be guided by You, IJMN, Amen.
From EC - Amen and good morning ladies!
LAST 10 MINUTES
Sister @Kehinde Chidiebere said something in her earliest comment today that really stood out to me. She called Christ our anchor.
That is the lesson we need to walk away with today.
Christ must be our anchor if we say that we are believers. We must be rooted in Him and by doing so, we grow and become more like Him.
Let's pray -
Father, thank You for teaching us to remain rooted in Christ, Your Son. Thank You for teaching us that we cannot afford to disconnect from Him and what He taught. Lord, please help us to remain anchored to Christ. He is the cornerstone, the foundation of our faith. Help us to be regularly refreshed in Him so that our spirits will not be wearied by the worries of life. Help us to keep our gaze on heaven as You steer us ever closer home. IJMN, Amen
From M22 - Thank you Abba for today's P&P message. Help us to remain roited in you more than ever. I pray that you strengthen us to win more people to your side so they can also enjoy the privilege we equally enjoy being rooted in you Abba!! Amen.
From M22 - Abba Father I pray that you help us to focus on thanking you in very situation. We know it is human of us to throw blames and grumble but we ask that you help us thank you and put the devil to shame IjMN. Amen.
Good God, You are the Almighty. Nobody compares to You. Father, thank You for hearing my prayer for people that they come to a knowledge of You as You promised in Jeremiah 24:7. Thank You for giving people a desire for You. Thank You for whetting their appetites for more of You. Thank You for letting hearts clamor for You. Thank You for kindly pouring out Your Spirit on all mankind in accordance with Your word in Joel 2:28. Be glorified, Lord our Redeemer.
Now and forever more, IJMN, Amen.
From M22 - Father I pray for couples waiting on you for the fruit of the womb. I pray Abba that you will turn their waiting into fruitfulness. You visited Manoah and his wife in the most beautiful way and I pray that you will visit couples waiting on you and bless them beyond their expectations. Father please put an end to failed cycles of miscarriages, IVFs and difficult adoption processes IjMN amen.
From AC - Jesus our great physician , I plead for your supernatural healing power upon my prayer subjects. Deliver them from all health alignments, sickness discomfort, and pain. Eliminate the spirit of fear and fill them with Your transcending peace. Strengthen and heal all systems, cells, bones, organs, tissue, nerve endings, and vessels. Bless them with easy access to quality healthcare and guide the hands and minds of the medical team entrusted with their care. Please grant them a healing victory for Your Kingdom and glory! In Your Name, I pray Amen.
From M22 - Father I thank you for sis @FFJ . Thank you Abba for giving her strength beyond her comprehension to consistently bless us with your word twice a week. I pray Lord as you impact us through her that you will continue to bless her, her family, her business and interests. Father I declare Deuteronomy 28:12 over her life IJMN amen.
From M22 - Abba Father I submit myself and my siblings into your loving hands. Father Lord we bless you for transforming, renewing and pruning us. Thank you for healing us from past hurt and pain. Father Lord I pray that your plan will continue to prevail in our lives. I pray we will look back in years to come and thank you for your transformation in our lives. IjMN amen. Abba Father I pray that you will help my brother complete his fees and graduate successfully. Help him lean on you and not his understanding. Abba Father I trust you for your guidance and direction over me and my siblings IjMN amen.
From M22 - Abba Father I pray that you will continue to shield and preserve the lives of children worldwide especially those hindered by war. Abba Father I pray that you will guide and direct parents and caregivers to nourish and nurture them in your ways. Father Lord help them fulfil your purpose for their lives. Father you said we should emulate their curiosity and openness to faith. Father I pray that you continue to strengthen every child on this green earth and help them elevate in you always IjMN amen.
From M22 - Abba Father please forgive us for any way we have grieved you in our words, actions and thoughts. I pray Abba that you will purify our hearts, bodies, spirits, souls, minds, eyes, ears, mouth and every inch of us. Help us Lord to abide by your ways. Help us Lord to surrender all to you and submit every issue in our lives to you. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight IjMN amen.
Lord, Jesus taught the Parable of the Shrewd Manager in Luke 16 to show us how shrewd many of us believers just aren't able to be.
And we need to be, which is why He warned His disciples in Matthew 10:16 - I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Heavenly Father, as we move among wolves, please help us to be shrewd yet innocent. To seek and receive from Your perspective and insight into people, situations, and things so we are not caught in the enemy's snare but serve You faithfully wherever we go, IJMN, Amen.
From AC - God of all compassion, we lift in prayer the people of Taiwan in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck this week. We pray for those who have lost loved ones, asking for Your comforting embrace to surround them. May You rescue those still trapped and may You strengthen and guide the emergency agencies and workers on the ground. Pour out Your healing power upon the injured, and restore everything that those affected have lost. In Jesus' name, Amen.
From M22 - Abba Father we thank you for ushering us into the beautiful month of April. Abba Father I pray that you continue to order our steps as we navigate this month. Father Lord, we pray that you furnish us with revelations, instructions and directions to navigate this month and the rest of this year. Father I pray that you supernaturally deliver, restore and increase us on all sides. Father Lord please speak for us where we have no voice or influence. Wherever our names are mentioned, father please respond on our behalf IJMN amen.
Dear Father, help us Your servants to display and use the blessed gifts You have granted to us all to Your glory and by Your grace, IJMN Amen.
From M22 - Thank you Father for transforming , renewing and pruning us. Thank you for healing us from past hurt and pain. Thank you Abba for granting us supernatural strength to overcome every challenge that comes our way. Even in the midst of storms, thank you for holding us by your mighty right hand according to your word in Isaiah 41:13. When we feel overwhelmed and exhausted, help us remember your word in Psalm 46:10! Amen
PRAYER TIME
Philippians 2:4 - Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Let us obey God's instruction and pray for others.
Open your mouths and petition for people, nations and institutions. Don't stay quiet.
God bless you.
From AC - Thank You Lord, that we are safe in You after the earthquake that just hit. We thank You that there is no major structural damage or any injuries reported. We thank You that even when the earth rattles, You are our foundation that never falters nor shakes! We give You all glory!
Amazing God, You are wonderful. Thank You for being the God that You are.
Now and forever, Amen.
From AC - Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145:3
Abbb how great You are!
Thank You for the many blessings this week.
Thank You for being such a faithful and dependable Father.
Thank You, thank You! You are worthy or all glory and praise!
Father, I return to thank You just as the leper did when he went back to thank Jesus for his healing.
God, I thank You for what You did for my family and I this week. Thank You for working miracles for us.
Thank You for being the God of favor, grace and wonder.
You are He who honors His word and I am grateful.
I will remain rooted in Your Son and thereby, in You.
Thank You for that privilege!
From UNCG - Glad to fellowship with y’all today. To God be the glory!
PRAISE TIME
Hebrews 12:28 - Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
See the instruction? We are to be thankful and worship God with awe and reverence.
So open your mouth and proclaim how great He is!
From AC - Amen, Amen! Thank you sis @FFJ for today's powerful word.
Morning Peppers, Friday blessings to you all. I give all glory to God for gathering us today in fellowship and for the timely message He placed on @FFJ's heart to share with us.
Thank You, Abba for this day that You have made and for Your mercy and grace which renew each morning. May You help us to remain rooted in Christ and fill us with biblical zeal and fresh Holy Ghost fire that sets our hearts ablaze for You, In Jesus' name, we pray Amen.
From CD - Thank You God for the renewing of my mind DAILY, Thank You that the things / people that offended me yesterday, I can genuinely lift in praise today. Thank You God for allowing me to see the old me in others and extend them the grace that You have so graciously extended to me and knowing that what You did for me, You are also doing for others because I was once an "other" Hallelujah!! Thank You God for restoration, revelation, and realignment, daily! Thank You Lord that in a world dying for attention, that I am living for Your attention. Thank You Lord that as long as I keep my eyes on You, nothing else matters while everything and everyone matters so much so that I lift them up to You. Thank You for knowing me better than I know myself, and loving me anyway!!!
IJN
From M22 - Thank you Abba Father for another beautiful day! We bless you for your love, warmth and affection towards us. We thank you for the small things and big things. Thank you for holding us by your mighty right hand through the good and tough times. Thank you for transforming, renewing and pruning us every single day so we can represent you in all we say, think and do. May your name be exalted IjMN amen.
Thank you for today's word sis @FFJ. The first 6 verses of John 15 is worth reflecting and meditating on. Being rooted in Christ comes with a lot of responsibilities and because we are rooted in him, he gives us supernatural strength to go through with those responsibilities. Being rooted in Christ means that we represent him in our character, ideologies, values and beliefs. If we are going to keep winning souls, then we have to allow Christ be our anchor so we can win and win more people to his side. I pray that God will continue to strengthen us and I pray that we continue to remain in him so we can reap a bountiful harvest IJMN amen!!!
ALTAR CALL
At each Praise & Pray (for others) gathering, I invite participants to give their lives to Christ and accept Him into their hearts as their Lord and Savior.
Today, I'd like to share the following scripture -
1 Timothy 1:15-16 - This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them, but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life (GNT).
Jesus died on the cross because of the love He and the Father have for each of us. He died because our sin created a distance from the Lord and allowed satan to have authority over our lives and where we'd end up after death.
Give your life to Christ and experience the reconciliation you need to have with God. That reconciliation is just a step toward the freedom you need from all the things seeking to keep you from enjoying a better life filled with God's fullness of life and His goodness. A life that you will navigate with Him, holding your hand and leading you to reside in heaven forever when your eyes close on this side of reality.
If you would like to be born again and receive the Holy Spirit, please say this prayer out loud -
Jesus. Thank You for dying a painful death on the cross for my sins. I admit I am a sinner and repent for all of my sinful ways. Thank You for Your sacrifice washes me clean and takes me out of the devil's clutches and into God's embrace. From today, I commit to follow You and to let You lead me to my Lord so I may be seated in heavenly places with You. Thank You for caring so much about me, IJN, I pray, Amen.
As you've prayed, you've dropped the yoke of sin satan placed on you. You are now a bona fide child of God. It is time to give Him thanks!
Now please make prayer a regular part of your life. It is simply you talking to the Lord. Also, please start reading the Bible and ask God to make it come alive for you. It holds all the answers you need. Get water baptized as quickly as you can and ask God to lead you to a church of His choosing.
To learn more about the faith and find answers to some questions you might have, check out this handy page - How to have a stronger relationship with YHWH God! And consider watching this series on the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
PS: If you've got questions about the New Life with Christ, shoot me a message. I trust the Lord to guide our convo.