PRAYERS AND THE TRUTHS [Psalm 4b]

“But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him” (Psalm 4:3).

• Those who are godly, living a righteous Life, Love the Truth and goodness, are set apart by God for Himself.

• If such call on God in PRAYERS, He will hear and answer—God answers the prayers of the godly.
  YOU cannot buy God’s Presence with money (Acts 8:18-21).
  IF God is attentive to you, honours your words and confirms it, it is a great treasure, value it (1 Samuel 3:19).

• “Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still" (Psalm 4:4).

• Admonishment:Holy anger is permitted!
• If you BELONG to God, what makes God angry should make you angry also.
  HOW can a child of God be comfortable with sin.
• Phinehas the grandson of Aaron received a Life covenant of peace, by being angry with what made God angry (Psalm 106:29-31).

1. “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2. “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, BECAUSE HE WAS ZEALOUS WITH MY ZEAL AMONG THEM, SO THAT I DID NOT CONSUME THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN MY ZEAL.
3. “Therefore say, ‘Behold, I GIVE TO HIM MY COVENANT OF PEACE;
4. ‘and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, BECAUSE HE WAS ZEALOUS FOR HIS GOD, AND MADE ATONEMENT FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.’ ”
   Numbers 25:10-13(NKJV)

“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? WHOEVER THEREFORE WANTS TO BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD MAKES HIMSELF AN ENEMY OF GOD.”
James 4:4 (NKJV)

• If you condone sin, you are not God’s friend.
• A genuine child of God or minister of His would not be in support of evil doers.
• Any believer, minister of God, who supported sin is an enemy of God.

• “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD”
(Psalm 4:5).

• Call to offer the sacrifices of righteousness
  GOD will only accept sacrifices offered with a right heart.
• If you disobeyed God, your sacrifices will not be accepted. OBEDIENCE is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).
• To offer sacrifices of righteousness means to offer a right sacrifice—the sacrifice you offered with a right heart.
  GOD works with our hearts, our motives of doing things.
• Whatever you do, check your motives, are you doing it with a good heart—good intentions?
  IF the motive behind whatever you do for the Lord is wrong, He will not reward you.
• Every sacrifice must be offered with a good heart.

• The trust you have in God would make you offer a good sacrifice.

• In giving to GOD and His work: DID you give whatever you had given with a good heart—with a trust in God to bless you in return?
  DID you give because you love God or you wanted to impress the people? (Acts 5:1-11).
• God will only hearken, answer the prayers of those who trusted in Him: "... AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM" (Hebrews 11:6).

• Note: Ministry leadership is about knowing God and telling people who and how God is.

• What you learn and know about God, that is, what God has revealed to you about Himself, should be taught to other people (2 Timothy 2:2).
• If a minister does not have intimate relationship with God, what will he or she teach the people under their leadership: "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, FOR IN DOING THIS YOU WILL SAVE BOTH YOURSELF AND THOSE WHO HEAR YOU" (1 Timothy 4:16).

• “There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us” (Psalm 4:6).

• Teach the people how they would have access to God who can only show them good.
• Many wanted God to favour them, but do not know how to access Him.

• “You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased” (Psalm 4:7).

• God will bless His people who know and have LEARNT how to walk with Him.
• When a leader failed in his primary duty to teach the people how to walk with God, they lost their places in God.

• “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety”(Psalm 4:8).

• Those who love God, walk in His ways, dwell in peace and safety.
• Walking with God:
  WALKING with God could be full of intricacies.
  GOD is perfect and He wants us to be perfect.
• When heaven over you is sealed, then you should know that God is saying something to you.

• In following God:

• You have to keep following, for Him to make you.
• God may be strict on the person whom He loves.
• Those who faithfully followed Him and kept His commandments are constantly pruned: "AND EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT HE PRUNES, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT" (John 15:2).

• How serious you are in your walk with God determines your place in Him, what He can or cannot use you for.

• God tests whoever promises to follow Him.
  HE will test the heart of the person, take him or her through hardships in order to know how committed, faithful and serious, such a person is with the decision he or she has made: "AND WHOEVER DOES NOT BEAR HIS [her] CROSS AND COME AFTER ME CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. "For which of you intending to build a tower, DOES NOT SIT DOWN FIRST AND COUNT THE COST, whether he [she] has enough to finish it" (Luke 14:27,28).
• God does the tests and promotions gradually and progressively.
• This would be done over the period of the person's lifetime.
• As the person passes God’s tests, he or she is promoted, given a bigger responsibility and be moved to higher honour.
• The cycle of tests and promotions would not end until he or she finishes their assignments on planet earth.

• You will not disappoint Him in Jesus' name.
Peace!