Do you need wisdom?

Do you need wisdom?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

To live a life of success, you need wisdom. Lack of wisdom leads to wastage of time, energy and resources. It's very expensive! Infact the Bible says, wisdom is the most important thing. Wisdom is doing what is right in the eyes of God for the glory of God.

According to this verse, you can ask God for wisdom and He will give it to you. Ask in faith and believe your receive when you pray. Wisdom will help you make the right decisions in life - to set your priorities right and to discern the excellent from the good. His wisdom will always open a way, will always solve the problem and will always bring you to the top. Wisdom will give you long life, honour and riches.

Christ has been made for us - wisdom. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God's wisdom. Christ lives in you. As you look to Jesus, you become wiser. The more you walk on Gods word, the wiser you become. The more you speak in tongues, the wiser you become. Wisdom will give you sweatless victories and effortless success. You are a child of God and godly wisdom is your inheritance. Take it by faith! Enjoy the abundant life! Go on with Jesus!

The trials of faith.

The trials of faith.
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

James 1:2‭-‬3
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Your faith in Jesus and His word will be tested. I call it 'the trials of faith'. Your faith will be tried to prove whether its genuine or not.

The Scriptures talk about weak faith, strong faith, little faith, great faith, dead faith and perfect faith. Which one is yours? Only pressure can reveal the quality of your response, of your faith. Every one who wants to live a faith life, a godly life will be persecuted. Pressure is an inevitable part of our faith life.

When our faith is under pressure - pressure to give up on the word of God and Jesus - instead of getting mad and angry, we count it all joy because we know something, we have inside information. Glory! We know that the testing of our faith produces patience and we let patience have her perfect work - its faith and patience that inherits the promise. What a great attitude the word gives us! Hallelujah. When people are complaining, grumbling and accusing, you are rejoicing because all things are working together for your good. Ha! Ha! Ha!. Jesus is Lord and the best is yet to come!

"My faith is not weak, its strong. My faith is genuine, not fake. I trust God completely in the midst of the trials and I refuse to give up. Patience is having it's full work in me and I know all things are working for my good. Hallelujah."

Absolutely nothing!

Absolutely nothing!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 15:5
Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

How much is nothing? Nothing means not a single thing. Absolutely nothing.

Without Jesus, we are nothing and we can do absolutely nothing. The day we settle this in our thinking, that day will be the beginning of the abundant life that Jesus has for us. No matter where you are and what you are doing, you need Jesus!  The most important thing for a branch is to stay connected to the Vine. Stay connected! Abide! Remain!

What does it mean to abide?  It means to do what He says. Do what the word says. Do what the Holy Spirit says. Fellowship is incomplete with obedience. Fellowship results in dominion. Don't complicate your life. Keep it simple! Life is beautiful when you abide in Jesus. Bear much fruit, walk in dominion! This is your time! Go on with Jesus!

“Jesus is the Vine, I am the branch. I abide in Him and His words abide in me. I bear much fruit and my fruit remains. I walk with Him and I do what He says. I lack nothing.”

Be available!

Be available!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Acts 19:11
Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

God wants to use you! God wants to bless people through you. Paul yielded himself to the Lord, He gave his hands to the Lord and the Lord worked unusual miracles by his hands.

God is no respecter of persons, He shows no partiality. Anyone who makes himself available for the Lord, the Lord will use that person to show His wonders. II Timothy 2:21 says, Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Be eager to share the gospel, to share what Jesus has done for you. Lay your hands on the sick in the name of Jesus, cast out demons in the name of Jesus and acknowledge the name of the Lord in everything you do.

Say, "Lord I yield my life, my body, my time, my energy and my resources to you. Like Isaiah, I say, Here I am Lord, use me. I will go where you want me to go, do what you want me to do and speak your word in every situation"  Be available,  the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. God will work wonders through you. He's waiting on you. Surrender now! Go on with Jesus!

Are you saved?

Are you saved?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Acts 15:1
And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

How did you get saved? According to Romans 10:9, ..if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9 says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.' Salvation is a gift of God. Don't work for the gift, don't try to earn it, just receive it. Our salvation is a result of God's grace and mercy. Your works cannot and will not save you. Its by grace - the works of Jesus - that we are saved.

All of our works to get saved are filthy rags in the sight of God. There is nothing you can possibly do to get saved. Jesus has done everything that needs to be done for your salvation. Jesus is the way! His blood and His works - His death, burial and resurrection have purchased salvation for every human on earth. Receive the gift of salvation! Live a saved life!

Pray for your leaders!

Pray for your leaders!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Acts 12:5
Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

Every leader in the church is a gift given by Jesus to the church. Think about this, every apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher is a gift. They have been appointed to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and for edifying the body of Christ.

Pray for your leaders! In this verse, we see the early church praying for their leader and through their constant prayer, Peter was supernaturally delivered from the hands of the enemy. Praying for your leader releases supernatural supply of the Spirit towards your leaders and it is well pleasing to God. Surround your pastor with your prayers.

Pray that God will give them wisdom, divine protection and help them live their lives in the perfect will of God. Speak the word over them and celebrate their lives with praise and thanksgiving. Stand and join in with your pastor's vision and help him fulfill it. Your respect towards your God appointed pastors reveal your respect towards God because they are gifts sent and appointed by God. Your pastor is Jesus' gift to you! Go on with Jesus! This is your time! Jesus is Lord.

Excel in your calling!

Excel in your calling!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Acts 9:22
But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Discover your calling! Find out why you were created and excel in it. You have a place, you have a specific calling and you have grace to fulfill your race. Discover where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to do.

Paul increased all the more in strength, that means He became better and better in what Jesus called him to do. He always kept learning, kept developing, kept improving and kept growing. Whether you are called as a preacher, businessman, doctor or an athlete, seek to excel in your calling. Become the best in your work and let excellence be your trademark. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13‭-‬14, ...but one thing I  do,  forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Being laser focused on the one who called you and on your calling results in excellence. Giving up everything you got for the one who loves you and for your calling results in excellence. Anything less than excellence is unacceptable! Thank the Lord for the success He gave you so far, but don't stay there, keep moving, keep going higher and higher. Become better and better, keep learning and keep improving. Stay rooted and grounded in the word, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, praise God with every breath you have and walk in love. This is your time!