Jesus Our Life Giver

JESUS GIVES LIFE

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Yes, Jesus loves me! That’s one of the first phrases children learn in Sunday school. But the full impact of it can be difficult to grasp. He came to give you life! As our Lord Jesus Christ says in the verse for today, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

   It’s been said that Jesus will not only add years to your life, but life to your years. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s plus-sign to us. When the negatives of life come against us, He cancels out all the negatives so that we end up with a plus. He is the Lord who adds to us and restores to us that which the enemy has stolen from us.

   The Lord wants to be your plus sign. He wants to give you what no other human being can give you – His love, grace, favour, wisdom and eternal life. He wants to make your life an addition and not a subtraction. He wants to make you a blessing so that you can in turn be a blessing unto others.

   Through Christ, we have access to the good life! Why should we be discouraged? Why should we be distressed? Yes, Jesus loves me – He turns my minuses into plusses.

Prayer: Thank You Lord for turning the negatives in my life to addition.

Scriptural Reading: John 10:7-21

7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.

13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.

18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.

20 And many of them said,”He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”

21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

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Jesus Our Life Giver

This Is A New Day

THIS IS A NEW DAY

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

It’s easy to get stranded in life. That happens when for some reason, you come to a standstill in your life and find it difficult to move ahead. It happens to all of us.

   In fact, maybe today, you find yourself stranded in your own life. Perhaps life has lost its energy for you. Perhaps you’ve settled for mediocrity. Mediocrity in your marriage; mediocrity with your Christian life, mediocrity in your career. But God has so much more  for you! He wants to do supernatural things in you, things you could never imagine.

   His promise to you today is firm and clear: “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” In other words, God is saying, “Look! Can’t you see it? Can’t you taste it? Can’t you feel this new thing that I’m doing?”

   He takes barren places and barren people and uses them for His glory when He does the brand new thing in their lives. And God wants to do something new in you. Give Him space in your life. Open up to the Holy Spirit. When you do, He will take you out of the place where you have gotten stranded. He will move you out of mediocrity and make your life exciting.

   Can you see the great things He has in store for you? Look, He is about to do something new in your life today. Reach out. Touch Him. Take His hand and let Him walk you into new places. This is a new day for you.

Prayer: Father, thank Your for the great things You want to do with my life.

Scriptural Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):

18 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.

20 The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen.

21 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.

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This Is A New Day

You Are Protected

YOU ARE PROTECTED

 

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Psalm 91:7

These days, reading the newspapers and listening to the news can be very frightening. Almost every news item seems designed to strike fear and terror into our hearts.

   This kind of fear creates panic. Pretty soon, that kind of panic makes even reasonable people go crazy. We behave like Chicken Licken in the fairy tale: an acorn fell on his head. He went round screaming to all who would listen, ‘the sky is falling; some of it fell on my head’.

   God promises us protection. His promise of protection does not keep us from hearing and seeing trouble around us. His promise of protection keeps us even through the troubles and turbulence round about us.

   God’s presence goes with us along the paths of danger and uncertainty. He is our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal hope.

   To live a happy life in this turbulent world, we must:

• Be constantly aware of God’s presence. He is with us everywhere and never leaves us alone.

• Boldly claim God’s protection. Know the promises of God concerning His protection and by faith, pray them into reality in your life.

• Bypass our fears. When fear knocks on your door, let faith answer. Even when you are terrified, make the effort to bypass the fear and allow the promises of God to rule your heart.

Prayer: In the name of Jesus, I claim God’s promises of safety and protection for myself and family.

Scriptural Reading: Psalm 91:1-16

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler

And from the perilous pestilence.

4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.

8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.

12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in troub…

You Are Protected

You Are God"s Masterpiece

YOU ARE GOD’S MASTERPIECE

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

Sometimes even believers have difficulty remembering their purpose in life. In our busy day to day lives, it’s easy to forget how wonderfully and purposefully we are designed by our Creator.

   • First, we are God’s peculiar people. We don’t have to fight for a place in the house of the Lord. Instead of seeking Him, He first sought us because He wanted an eternal relationship with us.

   • Second, we are members of a royal priesthood. In Old Testament days a king could not be a priest and a priest could not be a king. The two offices were separate and distinct. But in Christ, God has called every believer into a new category. He has made us both kings and priests. As kings we have the authority to rule; as priests we have access to God.

   • Third, we are a holy nation. “Holy” simply means “set apart”. In other words we have been marked as God’s children by His Holy Spirit, who placed an eternal seal upon our souls. Our sins have been washed away in the precious blood of Christ.

   • Fourth, we are God’s own possession. You are so valuable to the Heavenly Father that He purchased your eternal salvation at a great cost: the life of His only Son. Now we are His.

   Do you believe that about yourself? If you do, does your life reflect your God-given position? God has invested His grace into our lives; it is our responsibility to live our lives by His grace.

Prayer: Thank You Lord, for Your grace that has made me a special person in Your eyes.

Scriptural Reading: 1 Peter 2:1-9

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

“The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”

8 and

“A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

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You Are God"s Masterpiece

Stand Up For Jesus

Stand Up For Jesus

STAND UP FOR JESUS

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 1 Peter 4:14

Regardless of the opposition we may face in the world, we must always affirm the Lordship of Christ in all situations. We must remind ourselves always that we do not belong to ourselves: we belong to the Lord. He is our Lord and as such, He is responsible for us. He looks out for us and as a good shepherd, goes out of the way to seek for us when we go astray. Because of what He does for us, we must remember to give Him a special place of Lordship and honour in our hearts.

As believers, when we give Christ a special place in our hearts, we exalt Him as the object of our love and loyalty. We recognize His perfection, magnify His glory and extol His greatness. As part of our commitment to Him we submit ourselves to God’s will, realizing that His intentions for us are always for our good. That means that even when we are going through suffering and tough times, we must remain dedicated to the Lord.

No matter what happens to us, God loves us and is able to bring us help.

To be dedicated to the Lord in the face of persecution and suffering demands that we set our mind and affections on heavenly values and not earthly ones. If you are preoccupied with possessions, pleasures and popularity, you will live in perpetual fear of the enemy’s attacks. Whatever we set our hearts on, will determine what we value and give priority to.

Prayer: Pray for the grave to always honour the Lord Jesus wherever you go.

Scriptural Reading: 1 Peter 4:7-19

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Suffering for God’s Glory

12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.

16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God i…

Stand Up For Jesus

The Power Of Prayer

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Yet regard the prayer of your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which your servant is praying before you. 2 Chronicles 6:19

Faith is released through prayer. Prayer is like pressing on the accelerator of a car. Normally, there are several processes for starting a car. First, you have to ensure that the car is in good working condition. Then you must sit in the car, turn on the ignition, and release the hand brake. All of these steps are important but they do not move the car. To move the car, the driver must step on the accelerator pedal. That is what prayer is like.

   After we have taken time to identify the promises of God, build our faith and conquer our fears, we must now release God’s power through prayer. The moment we frame the desires of our heart and send them forth through a request to the Lord, we set a whole process in motion. That process goes through several phases from the time the prayers leaves your thoughts or your mouth. In time, if you do not nullify the effect of that process, you will receive a response from the Lord.

   Prayer can be said in our thoughts or out of our mouths. You can pray in your thoughts all the time and under all kinds of situations – in the office, classroom, bus or airplane. Even while before an interview panel, you can send strong petitions to heaven. However, prayer is most often said verbally. When you prayer out loud, you hear yourself which reaffirms your faith. Because faith comes by hearing the word, when you pray aloud, you recharge your faith and create an atmosphere of power.

Prayer: Ask the Lord to renew your desire for His presence and prayer.

Scriptural Reading: 2 Chronicles 6:12-21

12 Ahitub begot Zadok, and Zadok begot Shallum;

13 Shallum begot Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begot Azariah;

14 Azariah begot Seraiah, and Seraiah begot Jehozadak.

15 Jehozadak went into captivity when the Lord carried Judah and Jerusalem into captivity by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

16 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

17 These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei.

18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. Now these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers:

20 Of Gershon were Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,

21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son.

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The Power Of Prayer

More Than You Imagined

MORE THAN YOU IMAGINED

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

John’s Gospel tells us there were many people gathered around the pool of Bethesda, waiting for the stirring of the water by an angel. Yet Jesus went to one man and spoke to him. Notice that Jesus did no preach to everyone. Notice that He did not heal everyone. He only went to one individual. Why that was, we don’t know. Perhaps it was the utter helplessness of this man that drew Jesus to him. Perhaps it was the fact that this man had often prayed to God, not realizing, in his wildest dreams, that God Himself would personally answer and deliver him.

   This man’s desire and prayer was for somebody to help him into the pool when the water is stirred. But the Lord was there to do far more than he had prayed for or imagined. He was going to personally come down and heal him. The Bible tells us that God is able to do abundantly above and beyond that which we could ask or think (see Ephesians 3:20). The Creator of the universe, the Sustainer of all things, the King of kings and the Lord of lords stood before that helpless man, asking him, “Do you want to be made well?” Do you want a change?

   Sometimes we pray for something and God will say no. We think, “God is turning me down.” But later we look back and realize God had something better to give us, something abundantly above and beyond what we could ask for or think of. This man just wanted someone to help him to the pool. But Jesus did more than that. He healed him physically, transformed him spiritually, and gave him a personal relationship with God.

   If you have been praying and trusting God to do a miracle in your life, He is about to do more than you can asked or can imagine.

Prayer: Thank God for His amazing grace, and prophesy that God will do far more than you have asked or can imagine.

Scriptural Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height —

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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More Than You Imagined

The Sword Of The Spirit

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. —Ephesians 6:17

Have you ever noticed that when you plan to spend some time reading your Bible, all kinds of strange things start happening? You wake up in the morning you can decide to read the newspaper – every section of it – and everything will be fine. There will be no phone calls, no disturbances. You can read from beginning to end without distraction. But as soon as you pick your Bible to read, the phone starts ringing. The children start screaming. You remember that you forgot to charge your phone or return a phone call. They are not necessarily evil things that are keeping you from God’s Word—they are just things. They are distractions. The devil doesn’t want you to read your Bible. Did you know that? He wants to distract you, because the Bible is a crucial weapon for spiritual battle.

The Bible refers to God’s Word as “the sword of the Spirit.” It is the only piece of offensive weaponry listed with the armour of God in Ephesians 6. The breastplate and helmet are for protection. The shoes help a soldier gain ground. The shield is something to stand behind. But the sword is for attacking and inflicting damage.

So it is crucial you sharpen your sword. You must study it and know the weight of it. You must learn how it works and how it moves. And most importantly, you want to practise and master how to use it.

What shape is your sword in? Is it polished from daily use? Has it been sharpened on the anvil of experience as you have applied and obeyed its truth in your life? Or, is your sword dulled from disobedience? Is it rusty from lack of preparation?

Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you sharpen your spiritual sword and do battle with the word of your testimony.

Scriptural Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints —

19 and for me, that utterance may be…

The Sword Of The Spirit

Applying Your Faith

APPLYING YOUR FAITH

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”—John 20:29

Some people say they cannot have faith because they are practical. They need to know something is true before they can believe it. But we all apply faith every day. When you go to a restaurant, order a meal, and eat what they bring, that is faith. You are not sure if they followed all the sanitary guidelines they are supposed to follow. When you enter the restaurant you sit on the seat you are offered without a thought whether the chair has strength enough to carry you. You don’t know. So you apply faith.

When you go down to the pharmacy to buy medicine, you assume the little pills the pharmacist gives you can relieve you of your headache or fever. You even believe the pills she gave you are the right prescription. That is faith. When you have surgery and are put under anesthesia, you must put complete faith in the anesthesiologist, surgeons, and nurses. Or how about when you board a plane and taxi down the runway in that 747? Do you understand aerodynamics? Most of us wouldn’t. Yet we believe those pilots in the cockpit are hopefully not drunk or distracted. We hope they will get us safely to our destination.

The point is this: we apply faith each and every day. Faith is belief plus action. It is what we apply when we come to God. We act on His word. Is it amazing people refuse to put their faith in God? They can put faith, in a waiter, in a pharmacist, in a surgeon, and in a pilot but they won’t put their faith in God Almighty.

Prayer: By faith, pull down and destroy every stronghold of doubt and unbelief.

Scriptural Reading: John 20:24-29

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

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Applying Your Faith

God Is Love

GOD IS LOVE
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me. Psalm 23:4
I heard the story of an elderly minister who liked to visit people in hospitals. He often would take along a little, embroidered bookmark that he carried in his Bible. On the back of the bookmark were a group of tangled threads with no apparent pattern. He would hand this bookmark, with the back facing up, to those who were hurting or upset and say, “Look at that and tell me what it says.” As they looked at all the tangled threads, they would say, “I have no idea what it says. It doesn’t seem to say anything.” Then he said, “Now, turn it over.” As they would flip that bookmark over, they saw the words, “God is love.” The minister would say, “Many times as we look at what God is doing, we just see tangled threads with no rhyme or reason. But from God’s perspective, He is dealing with us in love, and He knows what He is doing.”
   God is love. Everything He does is inspired by love. His relationship with us, His children, is guided purely by love. In the midst of challenges, pain, grief, or trials, God seems far away from us. In such situations we are tempted to doubt the love of God. We feel God has forsaken us. But that is far from the truth. He will never leave us or forsake us. His presence and love is always with us.
   The next time you think it is all over for you, just remember how things turned out for Daniel. No doubt things looked pretty dim when he was in the den of lions. You see, things can look bad at one moment, but then God will step in and turn events around. Then suddenly you’ll look back and say, “Now I understand what God was doing.”
Prayer: Thank the Lord for His presence and love even in your darkest moments.
Scriptural Reading: Psalm 23:1-6
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
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God Is Love

Commit It To The LORD

Commit It To The LORD

COMMIT IT TO THE LORD

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Romans 12:14

We have all experienced situations in our lives when submitting to the will of God becomes very difficult for us. For example, when someone has really mistreated or done something terrible against you, committing the situation to God for Him to deal with it in His own way is very challenging. Anytime you go into prayer about the situation, you are inclined to curse the person instead of praying for the person to change. This is so especially when the more you try to be nice to the person, the worse they become.

In such circumstances, we are commanded to forgive the person and pray for them. When you pray, you leave the issue in God’s hands and trust Him to deal with it in the best way. This kind of prayer is very difficult, and many times when we leave issues in the Lord’s hands, we go back for them and handle them our own way.

In every instance of suffering, our Lord handed over both the situation and Himself to the Father’s care. He did so because He was confident in the righteous judgment of the Father. When He was reviled, He committed His ways to the Father. On the cross when He was suffering and dying, he still committed Himself to the Father.

That is the way you should respond when confronted with unjust persecution on the job or in your families and relationships. When you retaliate, you forfeit the blessing and reward that suffering is meant to bring. Retaliation shows your lack of confidence in God’s ability to make things right in His own time.

Prayer: Commit all your hurts to the Lord, and ask forgiveness for all those who have hurt you one way or the other.

Scriptural Reading: Romans 12:14-21

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Commit It To The LORD

Godliness With Contentment

Godliness With Contentment

CONTENTMENT

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Timothy 6:6-7

What is contentment? Contentment means my happiness is not dependent upon circumstances. Most people get caught in “when” thinking – “When I get such and such, then I’ll be happy.” “When I get to a certain level economically. . . When I get a certain job . . . When I build my own house … then I’ll be happy. When I get married. . When I buy my first car. . . then!” God says “No, once you get there, you’ll always want something else. You’ll always want more.” Somebody once asked the billionaire Howard Hughes, “How much does it take to make a man happy?” He said, “Just a little more.”

God says, “I want you to learn contentment.” It’s not about not having goals. It’s saying, “My happiness is dependent upon the Lord not on my circumstances in life.” Paul learned contentment. He says in Philippians 4:12, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I’ve learned the secret of contentment in every situation.” Contentment is something you have to learn. It’s not something that comes naturally. Human beings, by nature, are naturally discontent. And so are you.

How do you learn to be content? Stop comparing. God says it’s stupid to compare yourself to others. You compare houses, clothes, cars. We’re constantly comparing and therefore always discontent. And because of discontent God can’t trust you with wealth. You put too much priority on things in your life. Can God trust you with wealth? Have you learned to be content? If you don’t learn contentment, you’ll never find happiness in the Lord.

Prayer: By faith declare that you will not lack any good thing.

Scriptural Reading: 1 Timothy 6:3-10

3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,

4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,

5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

NKJV

Godliness With Contentment

Always On Time

Always On Time

ALWAYS ON TIME

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14:25

In Matthew 14, we read about the disciples being tossed by the wind and waves in their boat on the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus came, walking on the water, at the fourth watch of the night. The fourth watch was the last part of the night, just before dawn. This means the disciples had been at sea for at least nine hours in this fierce storm. So we see that Jesus came to them at the last conceivable moment.

This reminds us that God’s delays are not necessarily His denials. Jesus knew what He was doing all along. Why did He wait so long before He intervened? Probably because it took a long time for them to exhaust their resources and completely trust in Him.

Lifeguards will tell you that often the hardest person to save is the one who is panicking. But when an individual is exhausted, when he or she has no energy left, the lifeguard can pull that person back in to safety. In the same way, sometimes God allows us to get to the end of our rope, to the end of our resources, so we will finally cling to Him.

The disciples were exhausted and afraid. Then Jesus said to them, ‘It is I, do not be afraid.’ Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. For many of us, that is what Jesus is waiting for. He is waiting for us to willingly receive Him into our situation. He is waiting for us to get to the place where we realise that without Him we can do nothing. If we invite Him, He will take control of our storm-tossed boat, even in the darkest night, and take us to our desired destination.

Prayer: No matter the contradictory circumstance around you, agree with God’s promise and confess that you are on top and still rising.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 14:22-33

22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?…

Always On Time

A Servant Heart

A Servant Heart

A SERVANT HEART

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it.” Proverbs 3:28

Real servants pay attention to needs. Servants are always on the lookout for ways to help others. When they see a need, they seize the moment to meet it, just as the Bible commands us: “Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)

When God puts someone in need right in front of you, He is giving you the opportunity to grow in servanthood. Notice that God says the needs of your church family are to be given preference. It is a great privilege to serve them because they are dear to God.

We miss many occasions for serving because we lack sensitivity and spontaneity. Great opportunities to serve never last long. They pass quickly, sometimes never to return again. You may only get one chance to serve that person, so take advantage of the moment. “Never tell your neighbours to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.”

John Wesley was an incredible servant of God. His motto was: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”

That is greatness. You can begin by looking for small tasks that no one else wants to do. Do these little things as if they were great things, because being faithful in little things will bring you great things.

Prayer: Ask the Lord for a servant and a giving heart.

Scriptural Reading: Proverbs 3:27-35

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.

29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.

30 Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways;

32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright.

33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.

34 Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

35 The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

NKJV

A Servant Heart

An Unguarded Strength

An Unguarded Strength

AN UNGUARDED STRENGTH

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12

I find it interesting that some of the great men of the Bible who were known for certain things fell in those very areas. When we think of Elijah, courage comes to mind. He walked into the court of Ahab and Jezebel, the king and queen of Israel, and told them it would not rain, except at his word. He challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest that was won as he called upon the name of the Lord. Yet later we read how he ran and hid in a cave because Queen Jezebel put out a contract on his life.

Samson was known for his superhuman strength in which he could kill Philistines with a bone or whatever objects that happened to be around at the time. Yet Samson was brought down in immorality.

We know of Abraham’s faith, yet he lied on at least two occasions by saying that his wife Sarah was his sister, for fear that the Egyptians would kill him because of her.

The Bible warns, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Sometimes the areas in which you fall are the areas in which you think you are the strongest. Usually, when you know you are weak in an area, then you will be watchful and keep your guard up in that area. But when you think you are strong in an area you then to lower lower your guard in that area.

But unguarded strength is a double weakness. You may be cautious in your area of vulnerability but lower your guard in the area in which you think you are strong. And that just might be the area in which you fall. So be careful. It is just when you think you are not going to fall that you are in greater danger of falling.

Prayer: Ask the Lord to sustain you by His power and give you continous victory over all Satan’s attacks. Lord, help me to keep on growing in my walk with You.

Scriptural Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,

2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

3 all ate the same spiritual food,

4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;

9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;

10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written f…

An Unguarded Strength

Be Strong And Of Good Courage.

Be Strong And Of Good Courage.

HEROES WANTED

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes before you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

The world has never been more advanced technologically, yet we have never been in worse condition spiritually and morally. It can be frightening when you think of what kind of world we are going to face and what kind of world our children and grand children will grow up in. We need courage to live in these days as followers of Jesus Christ. Yet courage seems to be something that is in short supply today. Sometimes we forget what real heroism and real courage really are. We wonder where all the heroes are now.

Any true follower of Jesus Christ who stands up for what he or she believes is a true hero. It takes courage to be a follower of Jesus, to live an uncompromised life, to do the right thing, and to proclaim the gospel.

It takes courage for a young Christian to resist peer pressure and remain sexually pure until marriage and then be faithful in their marriage. It takes courage for a family to stay together and resist the temptation to cave in at the first sight of a problem or a challenge to the vows they have made to one another. It takes courage today to be honest and not cheat. It takes courage to follow Jesus. It takes a real man and a real woman to take a stand for Jesus.

Do you have the strength and courage to live for Jesus? Are you someone who fears nothing but sin, and desires nothing but God? Be strong and courageous because you are not alone, God is with you.

Prayer: Pray and receive the courage and honesty to change every bad habit and wisdom to avoid wasteful living.

Scriptural Reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-8

1 Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.

2 And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’

3 The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said.

4 And the Lord will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites and their land, when He destroyed them.

5 The Lord will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you.

6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel,”Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.

8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

NKJV…

Be Strong And Of Good Courage.

Know Your Rights

Know Your Rights

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Romans 6:6

Many of our defeats on the spiritual battlefield lie largely in our ignorance of the facts. In Jesus Christ we have the power to free ourselves from sin’s control and to live a new life. But many Christians don’t know they have this power or are ignorant of how to appropriate the power. They think it is impossible to live a sin-free life. They have become comfortable living under Satan’s control. They need to know that God through Christ has set them free from the dominion of Satan.

We cannot overcome sin by saying, “no, no, no.” God’s method for overcoming sin is to “know, know, know.” We can say “no” to sin, but if we don’t have the strength to do the will of God, we will always bow to sin’s dictates. We need to know what God has done for us in Christ, His incomparable power that is at work in us, and how to appropriate all these divine resources to live victorious lives.

Often we are defeated in our day-to-day work as Christians because we don’t understand what God has done for us. It is like fighting a battle without ammunition, when all the time, we had more than we could utilize in a thousand battles.

We cannot overcome sin’s power by our mere strength or willpower. Christianity is not trying to humanly live a divine life; it is divinely living a human life. It is God’s power in us and Christ through us, fulfilling what He has called us to do. It is not imitation but impartation. It is appropriating the divine provision that God has made for our victory.

Prayer: Take authority over the sinful cravings of the flesh and ask for wisdom to always subject your flesh to the works of righteousness.

Scriptural Reading: Romans 6:1-14

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to…

Know Your Rights

You Can Not Fail

You Can Not Fail

YOU CAN’T FAIL

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.” Acts 10:34

God is no respecter of persons. He will come through on your behalf no matter who you are, your race or nationality. When you know who you are in Christ Jesus, then there is no one who can stop you from succeeding in life. Putting your trust and faith in God will always cause you to rise above the circumstances of life and be on top.

God will deliver you like the three Hebrew boys in Daniel chapter three. The word ‘deliver’ in this context means to leave free.

In Daniel chapter three we see three Hebrew boys by the name of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They had become high government officials – Jews in Babylon. Hence, they were the wrong people, the wrong race even in the wrong country. But that doesn’t matter to God, it didn’t matter to them and it shouldn’t matter to you either when men try to keep you down.

You can still be on top, because nobody can keep you down when you trust God. God didn’t create you to fail. He created you to win. Because your faith is in Him, no one can bring you down. All you need is faith in God, because you and God are a majority.

Those who are opposed to righteousness always have a scheme. But the Lord will bring all their schemes to nothing. Because you are a child of God, and you have put your trust in Him, He will surely bring you to your high places. You will succeed and become prosperous in Jesus’ name!

Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit for confidence and boldness to dream big and achieve extraordinary things to His glory.

Scriptural Reading: Acts 10:34-43

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said:”In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ — He is Lord of all —

37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,

41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

NKJV

You Can Not Fail

Delight In The WORD Of The LORD

Delight In The WORD Of The LORD

WORD ADDICT

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2

I want you to begin to develop an addiction today–an addiction to the Word of God. That may sound odd to you, especially if you don’t have much of an interest in the Word right now. But, believe me, it’s possible. I’ve done it myself and I’ve seen others do it, time and again.

All you have to do is make a decision to give yourself to it. To focus your time and attention on it. The more you give yourself to it, the more your desire for it will grow. Eventually, it will consume your thinking.

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. That happens with anything you totally give yourself to. It happens, for example, with people who give themselves to pornography. As they focus their attention on it, the spirit behind it moves in on their consciousness and eventually draws them from mental activity into physical activity. Finally, they come to a place where they can’t be satisfied. They can’t get enough.

That same principle works on the positive side when you begin to give yourself to God’s Word. You can give yourself to it to the point where it totally consumes your mental and physical life. The more of it you get, the more you want. The Spirit behind the Word, the Holy Spirit, will draw you and lead you closer to Jesus than you ever imagined possible.

I’ve never yet met anybody walking in faith and power who at sometime hadn’t developed that kind of addiction by giving themselves totally to the Word for an extended time. I don’t mean just a few minutes here and there either. I’m talking about some serious time.

So determine to do that. Determine to become a “Word addict.” Once you do, you’ll never be willing to live without it again.

Prayer: Ask the Lord for a fresh appetite for His Word.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 1:1-6

1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

NKJV

Delight In The WORD Of The LORD

The Weapons Of Our Warfare

The Weapons Of Our Warfare

THE SPIRITUAL WAR

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4

Every one Christian is in the middle of a raging spiritual war. We as believers must recognize that our enemy is very real, but through Christ, we have the power to fight effectively.

Scripture reveals that Satan and a whole empire of evil spirits oppose God and His Kingdom. However, the enemies are fallen angels who have already been defeated on our behalf by the Lord. While it is important not to underestimate their capabilites, we mustn’t be deceived into thinking their power is greater than it is. They are simply no match for God. When Jesus rebuked demonic forces who tormented people, they were forced to obey. And after He had triumphed over them through His resurrection, the Lord Jesus gave us authority over these spirits. 1 John 4:4 says that, through the Holy Spirit we have already overcome the enemy because “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

However, if we fail to take up our position of power in Christ, we will feel overwhelmed and defeated. Though Satan cannot touch our souls, his plan is to make us ineffective in our spiritual battle with him. One of his most common weapons is guilt. He knows that when our conscience condemns us, we lose confidence with God and therefore are unable to exercise our spiritual authority over his kingdom. That is the reason why he never ceases to tempt us to sin. And when we give in to temptation, he comes to say to us, “You have sinned against God. You are a weak and unworthy sinner who will never really be able serve God. Are you really sure you are saved?” If we believe such accusations, we run the risk of doubting our true identity in Christ, and, as a result, become prey for his demonic host.

Prayer: By the power of the Holy Spirit boldly declare your authority and victory over the forces of darkness.

Scriptural Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

NKJV

The Weapons Of Our Warfare

Unshakable Faith In God

Unshakable Faith In God

UNSHAKEABLE FAITH

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. James 1:2

God is in control of all circumstances that surround the believer. The devil can do nothing in the life of the believer without the express permission of God. But why would God give that permission? Because Satan’s attacks will show what you are made of.

A faith that cannot be shaken is a faith that has been shaken. And if your faith is real, it will even endure through the worst of circumstances, because character is not made in crisis; it is revealed. For example, when tragedy struck Job, we find him worshiping God, but we find his wife saying, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die”. Trials, temptations, and crises separate the wheat from the chaff, the true from the false, and the real from the unreal.

Trials help us grow spiritually and make us stronger in our faith. James reminds us, “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:3-4).

Trials take our faith from the realm of theory to reality, and suffering brings glory to God. Anyone can be happy when the sky is blue and the sun is shining. But when a storm is hitting, it is a different matter. Satan claimed that Job only worshiped God because God was blessing him. But Job proved that he really did love God, because he worshipped Him before, during, and after his crisis.

God allowed the trial in Job’s life to strengthen his faith and to prove Satan wrong—and Job passed the test with flying colors. What a rebuke to the enemy and what a powerful example for us today.

Prayer: Pray for inner strength to turn every trial you face into stepping stone to your breakthrough.

Scriptural Reading: James 1:1-8

1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

Greetings.

Profiting from Trials

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

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.

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

NKJV

Unshakable Faith In God

God"s Blessings

God’s Blessings

GOD’S BLESSINGS

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes. Malachi 3:11

The devourer needs to be defined. The Hebrew word akal (aw-kal) means, “to eat, consume or burn up.” It was used by Bible writers to define the actions of drought, famine, war, pestilence, and plague. To “rebuke the devourer” is to check, curb, and deter anything that consumes time, energy, or cash flow.

In this verse the Lord promises to put a stop-gap on that which consumes our time. How many times have you started out a day with a plan for getting things done, only to look back at the end of the day and realize that your time had gotten away from you? The Lord has promised to rebuke the devourer of time.

The same promise applies to energy. During the average eight-hour workday, we expect to achieve a stated number of goals, to complete so many assigned tasks, to produce a certain predetermined amount of output for our efforts. It is always disconcerting to look back at the end of the day and compare how much we intended to get done with how little we actually accomplished. The Lord has promised to rebuke the devourer of energy.

This promise also applies to money. You buy tires, and they wear out too soon. You buy shoes, and they do not last. You buy groceries, and run out before the week is over. You spend money, yet have nothing to show for it. God has promised to rebuke the devourer of finances.

With God’s blessings, you and I can get sixty minutes of time out of every hour, eight hours of productivity out of each working day, and a hundred pesewa of value out of every cedi spent. What a blessing!

Prayer: Ask the Lord to rebuke the devourer of your resources and release His blessing of multiplication on all your work.

Scriptural Reading: Malachi 3:8-12

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.

9. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;

12 “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

NKJV

God"s Blessings

Sacrifice Of Joy

Sacrifice Of Joy

SACRIFICE OF JOY

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15

Paul wrote in Philippians 1:15-19 about some people who were preaching from a wrong motivation, which was to add afflictions to Paul who was in prison at the time. Instead of getting offended and having a bad attitude, he rejoiced over the fact that at least Christ was being preached.

If you are dealing with problems in your ministry or work, rejoice. It will strengthen you, and that strength will minister to everyone around you. When we praise God and rejoice in His salvation irrespective of our circumstances, we see His glory manifest in our lives.

Paul learned that lesson years before when he and Silas had been beaten with “many stripes” and cast into prison and their feet were fastened in stocks. Instead of sinking into depression, the two of them prayed and sang praises to God, loud enough that the other prisoners heard them. The result? There was a great earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, opening all of the doors and loosing everyone’s bands.

Take a close look at the faith they exercised. Their backs were bleeding, they had been put in stocks, and all this for doing God’s will. What a golden opportunity to complain and murmur.  Instead, they began to worship God.

God was so moved that He sent an earthquake, and everyone’s bands were loosed. If you need doors to open, then begin to worship and praise God. From that kind of praise will come great deliverance for you-and everyone around you.

Prayer: Make a joyful noise of triumph to the Lord and declare your victory over every challenge you are facing.

Scriptural Reading: Hebrews 13:7-17

7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give

Sacrifice Of Joy

Never Look Back

Never Look Back

DON’T LOOK BACK

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62

It is interesting how we can look at the past through rose-colored glasses. Remember the children of Israel? They had been delivered from the tyranny and bondage of Egypt, where they had been slaves for years. They cried out to God for deliverance and the Lord answered their prayers through Moses.

As they were making their way through the wilderness, God supernaturally fed them with manna. It was like bread from heaven. They had it daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But after a while, they got tired of it. They said, “We are sick of manna. We remember the good old days back in Egypt where we used to eat garlic, leeks and onions. Those were the good old days. . . If we could only go back.”

They spoke of the good old days, but they actually ate table scraps in Egypt, because they were slaves. Their lives were miserable. Yet in their imaginations, they had magnified these scraps to some sumptuous feast they had each and every day. They were not looking at the past accurately.

In the same way, the devil may remind you of the old days. “Remember the good old days? Remember the fun you used to have? Why don’t you go back to the good old days?” And if you are not strong enough you begin to think about it and end up back in bondage.

Don’t build up the past in your mind. Protect your mind, and don’t look back. You must always look forward to what to what lies ahead.

Prayer: Reject the condemnation from your past failures, disappointment and mistakes and ask God to give you a fresh start.

Scriptural Reading: Luke 9:57-62

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

NKJV

Never Look Back

Favor Of God

Favor Of God

FAVOR

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

Favour is like every other blessing and promise of God. You receive favour from God and man to the degree that you believe and accept this promise by faith.

Favour belongs to you. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, and Esther (to name a few Old Testament believers) all had supernatural favour. Favour is like resurrection power. It keeps raising you up no matter what tries to put you down. Favour is like a cork. When you put a cork under water, it pops right back up to the top.

Potiphar’s wife slandered Joseph and lied about him. As a result, he was thrown in prison. Yet, even in prison, Joseph had supernatural favor which caused him to be put in charge of all of the inmates. While in prison, Joseph was favoured, that he interpreted the dreams of a butler and a baker. The butler was restored to his position, but the baker was hung, just as Joseph had said. Joseph said to the butler, “Remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.”

The butler forgot Joseph until Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. He then told Pharaoh what had happened to him in prison. Joseph was called, and he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream. As a result, Joseph was promoted and set over all the land of Egypt.

Favour has a purpose. God will bring you into favour so you can bring deliverance to people and help them. Once you receive Jesus Christ, you become a favored person. “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favour from the Lord” (Prov. 8:35).

Prayer: By faith, release God’s favour into your life and declare that you are blessed and highly favored by God.

Scriptural Reading: Psalm 5:1-12

Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation.

2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.

3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You.

5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.

9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue.

10 Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let fall by their own counsels; Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, For they have rebelled against You.

11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You

Favor Of God

You Can Not Be Defeated

You Can Not Be Defeated

YOU ARE UNDEFEATABLE

“The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” Deuteronomy 28:7

God does not promise us a life without enemies. What He promises us is victory over the conspiracies of our enemies. Who is an enemy? Webster’s Dictionary describes an enemy in part as ‘one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent.’

The ultimate enemy for a child of God is Satan. However, there are human beings who off and on play the role of enemies in our lives. Apart from that, certain conditions of life and situations we encounter may also become our ‘enemies’ such as sicknesses, poverty, ignorance and low self-esteem.

Enemies can either ‘rise against’ us or ‘come out against’ us. Both postures are postures of challenge. An enemy’s challenge or attack is designed to drive fear into us so that we turn and run away.

God promises that when we walk in obedience before Him, He will cause two things to happen to our enemies.

• ‘They will be defeated before your face.’ That means God will give us a visible victory. It will not happen behind your back but right in front of you.

• ‘They shall flee before you seven ways.’ God will rout our enemies in battle and scatter their plans and conspiracies on the winds.

Whether your enemy is Satan, people or threatening conditions, there is victory for you. When evil conspiracies multiply against you, fear not. Today your enemies seem formidable; tomorrow they will be defeated and scattered.

Prayer: By faith declare that God will arise on your behalf and cut short the expectation of your enemies.

Scriptural Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-14

1. “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.

2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:

3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

4. “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

8 “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

9 “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.

You Can Not Be Defeated