Inside Out

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18)

Have you ever thought about the fact that man is the only creature God created who has to wear clothing to cover himself? All the other creatures grow their own coverings. Some grow fur, some feathers, others scales, or leathery hide. But all are clothed from the inside out!

Most people don't realize it, but in the beginning, man was clothed that way too. He was made in the image of God. And, if you'll look in Ezekiel 8:2, you'll find that God is clothed in fire from the loins up and from the loins down. That fire is His glory emanating outward from His inner-most being.

When man was first created, he was like that too. He was covered with the very glory of God. It radiated from his inner being outward. That's why he had no sense of nakedness until after he sinned and the glory departed from him.

It was a tragic day when man lost that glorious covering. But I want you to know something today. It's not lost forever. The Word of God says we can gain it back.

You see, when you put your faith in the blood of Jesus and were born again, the glory of God once again took up residence in you. It may be well hidden right now, but believe me, it's in there.

And the Bible says that as you gaze into the Lord's face by studying the Word and fellowshiping with Him, as you renew your mind to understand who you are in Christ, you'll be changed into His image on the outside as well. As you learn to hear His voice and obey it, you'll start giving outward expression of the glory within you. Little by little, you'll be turned inside out!

Instead of simply staring into your closet every morning, spend some time gazing at Jesus and beholding His Word. Let Him clothe you in His radiant presence. Once His glory starts shining through, anything you wear will look beautiful on you.

By- KCM

Share your blessings!

Expect to Hear His Voice

Dear brothers & sisters,
I pray that you will be blessed by this and will begin to excercise the faith of hearing the voice of God and put it into good works.

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice, and I know them and they follow Me." (John 10:27, Amp)

So many believers are unsure of their ability to hear God or know His voice. They're always afraid that they won't be able to tell when the Spirit of God is talking to them.

What they don't realize is this: Hearing the voice of the Spirit is a privilege that the Bible says belongs to every believer (Rom. 8:14). All we have to do to exercise that privilege is to receive it by faith and put ourselves in a position to hear.

Next time the devil tries to tell you that you can't hear God's voice, remember that.

Jesus said His sheep will know His voice and a stranger's voice they will not follow. That is a promise of God to you today. You see, the Spirit of God will never guide you in opposition to the written Word of God (John 16:13). So, if you're not familiar with what the Word says, you'll find it more difficult to discern His leading.

Get familiar with God's voice by meditating and studying the Word of God. Follow God's instruction to Joshua and meditate on it day and night. Act on what you find in the Word, not just when it's easy but every time. Be obedient even in the slightest things.

That continual obedience to the written Word will bring you into maturity and tune your inward ear to the voice of the Spirit. You'll soon be able to recognize it as easily as you recognize the voice of your dearest friend.

So, instead of wondering about it, start expecting to hear from Him. Then start sharpening your spiritual ears by spending time in the Word.

By- KCM

Prayed for...

Last evening, while I was worshipping just before the start of Oikos, bro John suddenly prayed for me. I was astonished by his action because I have never heard him pray. He prayed for me and the leaders of the church. God is so good. He uses John to encourage me when I needed it most. I amen to it at the end of his prayer. Was greatly blessed and touched by God with His words of affirmation.

We shared more on the area of the Love of God in the Oikos because that will be our strength. Although the sharing was short but we had a great time fellowshipping with one another and also updating one another's life after we break up for prayers. I can't stop to believe that God is doing something new to the Oikos.

At the end of the session, John shared with me Galatians 2:19-21. "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Amazing! If you know John, you will know what I mean.

God's love for us

Dear brothers & sisters,

This shall be our first post to 'Love' Oikos blog.

We have decided to call our group as Love Oikos not because we are so loving but because we believe in the power of God's love. Ever since we started this oikos group, we have been constantly reminded of His love and the things He had done for us and many of us had experienced the love of God's divine blessings. Testimonies had been shared and we believe more testimonies will come. Nothing shall seperate us from this love of our God. (Romans 8:35)

We believe in times of difficulty, we know that tribulation, distress or persecution cannot stop our heavenly Father’s love from working on our behalf. His love for us is bigger and stronger than our financial woes, relational problems or health concerns. And when His heart of love moves for His people, He open doors that no one can shut and He makes a way when there seems to be no way.

In tough times, we will never find the righteous forsaken. King David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25)

Nothing like famine or recession can stop God’s love from providing for His beloved. So don’t think to ourselves, “I must provide for my family. If I don’t, who is going to take care of them? How are they going to survive?” God wants us to know that His love will continue to provide abundantly for us and our family during the time of needs.

What about deadly pestilences such as bird flu and mad cow disease, natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, or terrorist bombings? Brothers & sisters, these things cannot devour you because His love protects you. You will enjoy His protection when you know that you are His beloved.

Because God’s love is greater than all the evil put together, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. (Romans 8:37) We always win in the fight of life not because of our love for Him, but because of His love for us! Amen!