Genesis 1:26 NKJV
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
INSIGHT
-The plurality defined here reveals the Divine Unity of God. All creation is referenced to the Holy Trinity one God Who created of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them. God made man in His image and likeness. We note that each one of us has has a special calling and abilities and the Holy Spirit empowers us once He fills us. In Exodus31:3-5 we find Bezalel who was filled with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). We are called to be faithful in whatever calling and gifting God has bestowed upon us. We are also called to unite with one another for togetherness is strength and God’s blessings are provided.
PRAYER
Almighty Father, we come before Your presence this day, with thanksgiving in our hearts. Thank You for Your mercies and love that are new every morning. Thank You for the gift of life and health. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who has been our guide, teacher, strength, revealer of all hidden, secret things and even the heart of our Father. Oh Lord You have been so faithful, may You make us faithful. May You anoint us afresh and fill us Holy Spirit so that we may achieve the purpose for which You have called us. Oh God may You take over and reign in all matters of our lives. Help us to spread this great wonderful news of Your salvation to all. Fill us more and more with Your Holy Spirit till our cup runneth over and we overflow, that we may spread the truth of Your salvation with power, signs and symbols. We trust You Lord and we know that You hear us and will answer us. We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 11:2-3, Psalms 133:1-3
John 10:27-30 NKJV
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”
INSIGHT
-There was increasing resistance of the Jewish leaders, who constantly called for more and more evidence of Jesus’ claim to Messiah-ship, were about to hear the clear evidence of Christ right to the throne of Israel: “I and the Father are One.” Israel’s leaders knew this was His claim to be the Almighty God. To them this was a blasphemous and abominable statement, which was why they sought to stone Him because it was the legal, God-given punishment for such a claim from the law. Jesus told them since He does the good works of the Father, they should believe the works, saying, that they may know and believe that the “Father is in Me, and I in Him” (John 10:38). Jesus humbled Himself, laid aside His eternal glory and infinite strength for a season, and took upon Himself the form of a man. He clothed Himself in the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. He was without sin, perfect in essence and One with the Father, in character, purpose, and power. Jesus leads His sheep that they may hear His voice and follow Him. It is also a call to know Him and follow Him, with the assurance that no one will snatch them out of His hands. It is a call to everyone, every religion to hear the voice of Jesus Christ and follow Him, apart from stoning Him for blasphemy.
PRAYER
Jesus You are Emmanuel, God with us. We thank You for the assurance that You have given that we belong to You and no one can snatch us out of Your hands. You are Great Lord and greatly to be praised. You are our Great Shepherd, we hear Your voice and follow You. May You give us the grace to follow You and Your Word. May You make it possible for us to hearken to Your will and Your word. Father God You are One with the Father and the Holy Spirit, let us believe in You together with all peoples, religions and nations of the world. You are Yahweh we exult Your Holy name. May You hear our prayers and hearts desires that You may answer us dear Jesus. May You protect us with Your precious blood and hedge of fire Holy Spirit. May You heal us and deliver us from all evil merciful Savior. All glory, honor, power and salvation belongs to You Jesus, now and forever. Amen
Further reading: James 2:19, 1 Timothy 2:5
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
INSIGHT
-As the John the Baptist called the multitudes to prepare the way for the Lord and make His path straight. He preached the message of repentance, and when Jesus came to be baptized, he tried to prevent Him. After Jesus was baptized the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him, a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Once we accept Jesus in our hearts and are baptized by the fire of the Holy Spirit, we become God’s beloved children pleasing to Him through faith.
PRAYER
Dear Almighty Father we come before Your throne of mercy this wonderful day. We thank You for all You have done for us. Thank You for Your unending faithfulness and love towards us. Lord we praise You and worship You for You are worthy of it all. You are the most High God and none can be compared to You. You are our able God and we trust You today. Lord may You forgive us for all the sins and iniquity we have done said or thought and sanctify us by Your precious cleansing blood. We thank You for You have baptized us into Your kingdom of truth and righteousness. Thank You for it is no longer us who live but You Christ that lives in us. We thank You Holy Spirit for Your baptism and for filling us through and through. May You fill us more and more that we may walk in Your power for the glory of Your name. We love You Lord and we surrender ourselves to be used by You and You may work Your glorious deeds in us. We worship You Lord, come and reign and take over all in our lives and our country. May Your will be done in us and our nation as it is in heaven. May You grant all the war torn nations including Sudan, Russia and Ukraine Your Divine peace. Lord may You hear and answer prayers for the glory and honor of Your name. We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Further reading: Hebrews 11:6, Galatians 3:26
Romans 8:11 NIV
“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
INSIGHT
-The Holy Spirit living in us brethren is a comforting truth. After three days in the tomb, the Holy Spirit raised Jesus to life. In John 14:16-17 Jesus reveals that, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you”. We find a strong relationship between God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, working together in divine and unlimited attributes, brought out uniquely and perfectly. If then God dwells in us and with us we are unlimited in potential, and can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We also have sure hope that our living God is eternal and He has given us everlasting life.
PRAYER
Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shalom, we adore You Lord. You are the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. You are our Shepherd and our Shield, our All in all. We put all our hope and trust in You, our God and Lord. We do not have any other God but You. Only You deserve our worship, honor, adoration and praise. Only You are God and all the other gods are imitations made by human hands, the cannot see, hear or speak. Thank You Lord for You did not leave us orphan but You gave us Your Holy Spirit. Thank You Holy Spirit for Your presence in our lives and for the gift of eternal life in us that we have the sure hope of eternal life. Thank You for comforting us and strengthening us when we are weak. Thank You for Your power that works in us and through us that we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Thank You for Your love in us that we are able to do exploits for the glory and honor of all Your name. Amen
Further reading: John 15:26, John 20:22
2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
INSIGHT
-This benediction is Trinitarian in form and has since been a part of Christian worship tradition especially, a conclusion to prayer. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11), through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is a picture of God’s love for us that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
SUMMARY
According to the scriptures, all three Members of the Trinity are fully God. In John 6:27, Jesus refers His Father as God “God the Father”. John 1:1 identifies Jesus as divine, God the Son. While Christ never specifically called Himself “God,” His Father did apply the title to Him (Hebrew 1:8). Furthermore, Jesus acknowledged having unlimited power, an attribute possessed only by the divine Creator (Matthew 28:18) and also accepted worship (Matthew 14:33; John 9:38). After declaring that God raised Christ from the dead, the New Testament goes on to credit God the Holy Spirit with the resurrection (Acts 4:10; Romans 8:11), and we have sure hope that the Holy Spirit will also give life to our mortal bodies because the Spirit lives in us (Romans 8:11). The divine unity of God is evident from the creation story when God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26), and He gave man dominion over the fish, birds and over every creeping thing on the earth. Since man is created in the image of God, we deserve respect and honor, and none should be murdered (Genesis 9:6), nor cursed (James 3:9). Also, since we are image of Christ, we should put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge of Him (Colossians 3:10), and put off our former conduct that grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, for we have been created according to God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24). We also see that God is United as One God through the creation, and in the likeness of God we have His attributes. Attributes of unity which comes with a blessings Psalms 133:1-3), and prosperity for nothing we purpose to do will be hindered (Genesis 11:6). The Holy Spirit also makes the other attributes resident in our hearts (Galatians 5:22). Jesus reinforced the doctrine of dominion and authority, imputed upon mankind when He commanded the disciples to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and promised to be with us always to the end (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus discloses that Him and the Father are One revealing His divinity (John 10:27-30). According to James 2:19, knowing that there is one God is one essential but adding works to our faith is more vital. Demons also know that there is one God and they tremble. Jesus calls us to hearken to His voice and follow Him, and He gives us life eternal.
PRAYER
Lord You are our God, our eternal One. The only One true God. You are God with us we bless Your name. We believe in You and acknowledge Your Lordship. May all the peoples, religions and nations know You and acknowledge that Jesus You are God. At Your name Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus You are Lord our God, to the glory of God the Father. We thank You Jesus for loving us and giving us Your nature and image of love that we love You Lord and our neighbor as ourselves. We thank You for choosing us from everlasting to everlasting and predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with Your pleasure and will. May You teach us to do Your will and the purpose for which You have called us. May You heal our hearts and our nation. We love You Lord and praise You forever and ever. May You bless us and keep us. May You make Your face to shine towards us and be gracious unto us. May You turn Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: Philippians 2:1-4, Titus 2:11–13