THE WHOLE TRUTH

MEMORY VERSE: All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. Psalm 25 : 10

READ : PSALM 85 : 10 – 11.

10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: REVELATION 7 – 9.

“And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

Jude 23

In the scripture above, we are commanded to use every possible avenue to win souls to Christ yet to be careful enough not to compromise with sin. Love the sinner but hate their sins. Why? It is because God is a holy God. He hates sin with a passion. In Zechariah 3 : 1 – 7, the high priest was wearing a filthy garment. This is contradictory to his calling. According to God’s standards, the high priest should be a firebrand. Fire is an agent of purification. In medieval times, when they want to perform a surgery, the knives to be used are put through fire. If you are doing some cleansing where water and soap are not appropriate or adequate, heat from the fire or the fire itself is directly applied. Even Psalm 12 : 6 confirms that the furnace purifies. God expects his ministers to be as pure as light.

If the priest is the light of the world, how come a high priest ended up in rags? Jesus says you are the salt of the earth. The purpose of salt is to fight corruption. In the olden days, when there was no refrigerator, salt was used to preserve meat or fish. In the same vein, God wants us to be absolutely pure so that He can use us to fight against corruption.

Today, many of us are harbouring things that belong to others and we are hardly scolded by the Holy Spirit. Many tell lies, including senior pastors and their wives and this make us wonder if the real heat is still there. When was the last time you said something that was not 100% true and the Holy Spirit rebuked you for half truth? Sometime ago, we attended an interview conducted by CNN. Later, while watching it, it occurred to me that I did not answer a particular question the way I should. Towards the end of the programme, they asked what I do when I am less busy, and I told them I fish for the fun of it. Then the Holy Spirit said I did not tell the whole truth. He said when I catch the fish I eat it. The Holy Spirit expects you not only to tell the truth but the whole truth. Yet many of us tell half truths, thinking it is wisdom. No! It is not! 

KEY POINT:

To be acceptable to God, you must meet His standard through and through.

THE WISE CHAMPION

MEMORISE: Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. Proverbs 3 : 7

READ: PROVERBS 3: 5 – 7.

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: REVELATION 4 – 6.

A divine champion is the one made wise by God. Daniel 2 : 20 – 21 says it is God who gives wisdom to the wise. This means that every truly wise fellow is indebted to God who is the source of wisdom. No wonder Proverbs 3 : 5 says: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” If you want to be wise, you must be ready to set aside what you know, what you have been taught and even what you have experienced in other to receive the wisdom from above. 

A divine champion recognises how frail he or she is; he also knows how limited in knowledge he is. One reason we fail to let God into our plans is because we believe we know what to do. If verse 7 of our reading is anything to go by, it is that whenever you come before God, you must put aside what you know so that you can receive what He knows. Even if you feel you have the best approach to solving a particular problem, still tell Him about the problem and about the method you know could be used in solving it. Thereafter, acknowledge His unlimited knowledge and wisdom, and humbly ask for the best approach to the issue on ground. In John 6 : 37, Jesus says He does not cast out those who come to Him. James 1 : 5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Everyone saved or unsaved has a measure of wisdom he or she was given by God. Today, some people think they are wise when they begin to create, invent or design things: No! It was given to you by God. It was given out of His general wisdom. God still has the special type of wisdom that is accessible only to His children. To receive such, you must be born-again, fear God and flee from sin; you must study God’s word intensively because it contains unlimited wisdom that can help you in all areas of life. Thereafter, ask in faith for wisdom and you will be given. Without wisdom, you can never truly be a divine champion. Have you asked of wisdom from the Lord?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, give me wisdom to excel and be above board in every area of my life.

THE LOVING GOD

MEMORISE: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 John 3 : 1.

READ: 1 JOHN 3: 1 – 2.

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 1 – 3.

God is a friendly God who takes steps to cultivate our friendship. The problem is that not many of us who claim to be born-again have reciprocated His moves towards us in the area of friendship. In addition to friendship, He is a loving God. John 3 : 16 tells us that God made the ultimate sacrifice of His only begotten Son out of love. Romans 8 : 37 says it is His love that makes us more than conquerors and not because we have learnt the rudiments of prayer. Because He is a loving God, He knows your weaknesses and strengths and is willing to come down to your level to both help and keep you company. Sometime in 1981, I was ministering from 8 a.m. to 6 a.m. and I still had to go take the Digging Deep service (Bible study). When we finished, I was so tired that my body was vibrating and I could not stand. Meanwhile, there was a long queue of people waiting to see me. At that point I asked God: “Do l have to pray for these people when you can see that I can barely even stand?” Then He told me to sit down and asked me, “Who asked you to stand? All they needed is for you to lay hands on them”. Until then, I never thought one could sit down and pray as I believed it was disrespect to God.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”1 John 3 : 1

The love of God has given us a change of name – from children of the devil into sons of God. His love also ensures you are not disappointed. One reason He has not fully brought the weight of our sins upon us is because of His love. God loves you. His love has made Him to ignore certain things you did wrong; you did not escape His judgment because you were smart. His love also ensures that you are disciplined so that you can achieve His purpose for your life. How are you responding to His love today?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, thank You for your love. Help me to love You and my brethren like You love me.

BE COURAGEOUS!

MEMORISE: Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1 : 7.

READ: JOSHUA 1 : 5 – 9.

5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 49 – 52.

To be a good midwife, you must have courage. Courage means refusing to give in to fear even when you are afraid. To birth some babies can be quite a challenge. Contrary to the normal practice of coming out with the head, some babies may want to come out with their legs or hands or even be bridged. It takes courage to handle such deliveries. As a servant of God, there are certain assignments that you will be given that can cause fear. Yet, God wants you to take courage because He will help you. 

When God told Joshua he was going to succeed Moses, boy, was he struck with fear! How can a messenger become the leader of a nation when there were elders and other leaders there? How would the Israelites see it? What if they decide to rebel against him as they had done to Moses? Moses who was trained in the best university in Egypt and was prepared for the ministry for several years, yet he still failed; how can he succeed with so little level of preparation? Joshua had many doubts. He had many unanswered questions. The task was frightening. How could he step into the shoes of Moses? His fears were real. God saw them and He began to encourage him. God told him to be strong, bold and to be of good courage. God gave him the recipes for success in the assignment. 

How do you feel when you are asked to fight giants on your way to the Promised Land? How do you feel when you are faced with the task of raising a church building that will cost N20 million (approx. $130,000) but you do not know where the first N50,000 (approx. $330) will come from? When people bring a very bad or hopeless case, it may cause fear. Yet, God wants you to take courage. Why? You are not alone. He is right with you. He will make available all you need to handle that project. He will give you the recipe for success in that given task. Trust Him. Yes, you can do all things by His power and grace.

KEY POINT:

You may not see or know where your well of provision for that divine assignment is, but God knows and He will show you if you ask Him.

EXPOSING THE CROOKED PATHS

MEMORISE: Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: Isaiah 40 : 4. 

READ: ISAIAH 40 : 3 – 5.

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it..

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 37 – 40.

According to John 3 : 19 – 21, the light of the Spirit not only exposes and destroys activities of the evil ones, but also manifests good deeds.

“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”John 3 : 21

If you are living right and pleasing God, never be far from the light of the Spirit because it can put a seal of divine approval over your works. Such works will surely be rewarded by God. In other words, if you want to do the works that will not be burnt with fire on the last day, expose them to the light of the Spirit as contained in the word of God. Any work you do that tallies with the dictates of God’s word will not go unrewarded. When your good works are approved by the light of the Spirit, you may receive divine advertisement.

Moreover, the light or fire of the Spirit not only exposes the serpent, but also kills it. A man realised he was just swelling up. Everywhere he went for healing, he could not find the cause of the problem. So one day, he went to a man of God for prayer and was told he had restitution to make. On further probing, the man told the man of God that his wife died during child birth, and that the product of that delivery was a baby girl. The man grew to love her so much because she looked every inch like her mother. Eventually, when she grew older and got married, her husband began to beat her so the father took her away and hated the young son-in-law. By the time he came for prayers, the light of God by the Spirit of God revealed it and said that if he does not forgive, he will not be healed. Initially, he was reluctant but later on, he went and apologised to the son-in-law and he received his healing. When the light of the Spirit shines upon you, it will expose you to areas you need to restitute. It will show you the crooked paths to be straightened so that you can truly prepare for the return of Jesus Christ.

KEY POINT:

For some ailments to go, restitution is the only medicine.

HONOUR GOD

MEMORISE: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Proverbs 3 : 10. 

READ: PROVERBS 3 : 9 – 10.

9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 33 – 36.

Ephesians 6 : 1 – 3 commands children not only to obey but also to honour their parents. If you know how to honour your daddy, that attitude will see you through certain storms of life. Not many believers know the full value of the giving of first fruits. Proverbs 3 : 8 – 9 says you should honour God, who is the Father of fathers with your first fruits. Many pastors know how to collect it but not how to give it. When the high priest was dressed in filthy garment and Satan was standing by his right hand to accuse him, who rescued him? It was God. The only individual who decides the winner or loser in any given battle is God. No wonder it was said in 1 Samuel 2 : 9 that we cannot prevail by physical strength. Remember that God is the One who gives dreams and also the One who can help you to realise them. If God is with you, it does not matter how many the opposing forces are; you shall prevail. This was why Joseph saw offending God as a great sin against God. One thing that keeps me from sinning is not punishment from man but from God. 

Do you honour God with your first fruits? Your first salary on a new Job is your first fruits. So also is your first profit on a new business. It is also the difference between your old salary and the new salary when you are promoted or given a salary raise. Similarly, your first salary in a particular year can be your first fruits. First fruits is to be paid 100%. In the case of a salary increase, if you received a raise from 50,000 to 75,000, you will be expected to pay tithe on the 50,000 former salary, but you will also have to pay the 25,000 difference between both old and new salaries as your first fruits. Do this and God will cause your storehouses to be filled with plenty.

ACTION POINT:

One obligation you owe God for being Your creator and God is honour. To what extent are you honouring Him?

A DIVINE CHAMPION

MEMORISE: He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them. 1 Samuel 2 : 8.

READ: 1 SAMUEL 2 : 8 – 10.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 30 – 32.

After a contest, a winner emerges. Who is a champion? He is the winner of the contest, a victor, an overcomer. A champion is also the one who remains standing after the battle is over. When David fought Goliath, after the battle was over, Goliath laid down dead while David stood on top of him. The word divine on the other hand has to do with God, meaning it is God connected or related. Which God are we referring to? We are talking of the Most High God, the One who is higher than the highest, the Almighty, the God of all flesh with whom nothing is impossible (Psalm 91 : 1). He is the Lord of host, the God who has never lost a battle, the One who can bury His enemies alive (Psalm 24 : 7 – 10). People serve all kinds of gods including Satan, demons, men, animals, sports, food, etc. To have a connection with the God of gods, you can only access Him through Jesus Christ.

Who is a divine champion? He is a champion that is raised by God. 1 Samuel 2 : 8 says,

“He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.” There is no helper or uplifter like God. A divine champion is the one who enjoys God’s support and who is strengthened by God (Romans 8 : 31). When God laid hands on Elijah in 1 Kings 18 : 46, he outran the chariots of Ahab by foot. Can the one on foot overtake horses? Physically this may not happen, but with God at your back, it will happen almost effortlessly. In every race facing you, you will have to decide how to run it – whether by your limited human strength or by God’s unlimited strength. To be a champion, you will have to also decide whether you want to be an ordinary champion or a divine champion. The latter is preferable. God is raising His champion these last days, will you be one of them? It is your choice. 

PRAYER POINT:

Father, let me be among Your chosen divine champions for the last days.

COMMUNION HELPS YOU FLY

MEMORISE: He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Psalm 105:37.

READ: PSALM 105:36 - 38.
36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 27 - 29.

Beside sickness, disease or poverty, another force that can hinder your flight is spiritual bondage. This happens when forces of darkness use demonic items and methods to hold a person down. In Mark 5 : 1 - 20, the mad man that was arrested by demons could not leave the tomb. Whatever power that is holding you from flying is broken now. Every contrary spirit that is operating in your life, I speak to you: your time is up! Pack your load and go now in Jesus name!
Do you know that the sicknesses and diseases holding down the Israelites disappeared after partaking of the uncommon meal? Psalm 105:37 says, “He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.” With just one meal, sickness was gone. A nation was completely healed. With just one meal poverty disappeared. As a result of that meal, the debts that several generations of their fathers were owed by the Egyptians, the current generation of Egyptians were compelled to pay it. They ate one meal and spiritual bondage became a thing of the past. Those who had refused to let them go all these years suddenly became too impatient for them to stay one minute extra.
You too can take the communion and it will make you totally free right away – free from sickness and disease, poverty and spiritual bondage. However, after you have overcome the forces of bondage, you are expected to rise into the sky and fly. You do not fly on the ground. As long as you stay on the ground, you cannot fly. If you do, you will continue to bang your airplane against buildings, trees etc. Many people want to be uplifted but they are not ready to put in more effort. If you apply only the effort of those on the ground, you will walk or at best run like them. Come up today!

KEY POINT:
The debt that your debtor could not pay can be recovered from his lineage by the power of the communion.

ACQUIRE WISDOM

MEMORY VERSE
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7

READ: Proverbs 4:5-9

Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Proverbs 4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

Proverbs 4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

MESSAGE
Besides fearing God, a divine midwife must also be wise. It is possible to work hard and not work smart. When there is an assignment to be done and there is not enough wisdom to do the work, it could be boring, laborious, take a longer time and bring about a lot of wastage and even injury. For instance, in Exodus 18:17-23, Moses who was highly anointed and very hardworking, did not work smart for lack of wisdom. God had to use his father-in-law to give him the wisdom he required, and from that moment, the work became easier and he could find sometime to rest and thereby prolong his life. Hard work is good but working smart is better. Many people who worked hard without working smart have had to die before their time.

Jethro was a wise man. He applied certain principles of doing work in other to achieve greater productivity at lesser costs. He was also ready to share these principles. There is nothing wrong with enrolling for leadership courses that will enhance your productivity. Some people will ask: ‘What will they teach there? Is it not worldly wisdom?’ Thank God for the Bible, yet, there are certain principles that have been tried in secular businesses that will equally be beneficial in the Kingdom. To be on top, there is need to continue to improve your skills and knowledge. Try things a bit different from how you normally do them. You must be ready to accept change. In addition to secular seminars and training programmes, you can ask God for wisdom in a specific area. You can read up books on finance, savings and investments to boost your knowledge in that area. You can go on the internet to download information. We live in the information age and it will be most tragic to be without information during this age.

KEY POINT
Every good and healthy knowledge you acquire can also be utilised in a beneficial way in God’s Kingdom.

THE LIGHT EXPOSES

MEMORY VERSE
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:20

READ
John 3:19-21

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

MESSAGE
The Holy Spirit gives light. If you ignite a fire, no matter how little it is, around the fire there will be light. In Genesis 1:1-3, in the midst of the darkness, emptiness and chaos, the Holy Spirit stepped in and light had to be created immediately. In other words, it was His coming that brought about light at the very beginning. The beauty of this is that the light of the Spirit exposes the hidden contents of darkness. This is confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ when He said in John 3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. The light has a way of exposing the enemy. We see this in Acts 28:3-6, when Paul gathered some firewood and lit it up, a serpent that was hiding in the wood suddenly reared up its ugly head, but Paul threw it back into the fire.

If the fire of God is really burning in your ministry, it will expose every evil person in church, and deal with them. When under the strong influence of the Holy Spirit, your personal problems will be exposed to you. Your greatest enemy is not the witch or wizard around but yourself. Not many of us think we are part of our problems. If you ask a student to mark his examination sheet, he will most probably award himself the highest grades. If you know that what is hindering your progress is in you, it is then important to deal with it. The fire in Acts 28:5 not only exposed the serpent, it also killed it. Every serpent that is hiding in any corner of your life shall be exposed and destroyed in Jesus name. 

Moreover, if you walk in the light of the Spirit, people will hate you. Don’t be surprised that compromising brethren and church leaders would not only hate and persecute you, they may also want to get rid of you. If your presence does not allow them to steal, they will hate your guts. The more you allow the light of the Spirit to shine in and around you, the more difficult it is for your enemies to cover up their evil intents. This season, the Lord will expose all the hidden agenda of your enemies by the light of the Spirit.

PRAYER POINT
Father, increase the light of Your Spirit in me and expose and destroy the operations of the kingdom of darkness around me

BROTHERS AND FATHERS

OPENHEAVEN 4 2DAY 17TH OCT. 3013. THURSDAY

MEMORISE: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Romans 12 : 10.

READ : GENESIS 27 : 30 – 35.

30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me.

32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.

34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EXODUS 5 – 7.

Your calling and divine destiny as well as your present spiritual build up add up in determining the kind of battles that will come your way. You cannot ask a featherweight to engage a heavyweight in the ring. When you consider David, you will observe the kind of opponents that he faced – a lion, bear and Goliath, all these were heavyweights (1 Samuel 17 : 34 – 37). If you consider your life, you will realise that God has brought you this far because His purpose for your life is yet to be fulfilled. Many like me, should be able to say that if not for God, they would have been dead long before now. The Lord that has kept you alive will continue to keep you.

However, considering the life of Joseph, there is need to note the difference between a brother and a father. You will note that some brothers can kill. In Genesis 4 : 8 when the first murder was recorded, it was committed by a brother. A brother can steal your blessing: if you doubt this, ask Esau and he will tell you of his experience (Genesis 27 : 30 – 35). Brothers can also try to kill your dream like it happened to Joseph (Genesis 37 : 13 – 20). This is why when it comes to the issue of making heaven; you cannot rely on anybody other than yourself and God. Are you a brother with a negative assignment to fellow brothers?

However, fathers are different. Thank God for fathers! They can bless and prophesy into your future. Genesis 49 : 1 relays when Jacob gathered his children together to prophesy into their future. When your father prophesies into your future, it becomes a settled matter. For this reason you must honour your father and mother so that you can live long on earth. Honouring your father is one thing that can sustain you amidst the battles of life. How often do you do this? To provoke the best from your father, you must please him and obey him. You must avoid what he hates and give him the good things that he likes. Lead him to Christ, and make his remaining days on earth worthwhile.

KEY POINT :

You can be the ideal brother or sister to both your blood relations as well as fellow brethren in Christ.

WHAT GOES UP, COMES DOWN

MEMORISE: The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. Psalm 34 : 10.

READ: MARK 5 : 22 – 24

22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EXODUS 1 – 4.

Another lesson from 1 Kings 18 : 41 – 45 is that it is what goes up that comes down. In other words the rain could fall because something had earlier gone up. Psalm 67 : 5 – 7 says when praise goes up, blessing will come down. You can load your cloud through offering high praises to God. Also, when worship goes up, healing comes down. Check the Bible and you will notice that almost everyone who got a major healing from God started by worshipping Him. In Matthew 8 : 1 – 3, the leper first worshipped Jesus before he was healed. Also, before Jairus asked for help, he fell down before Jesus and worshipped Him (Mark 5 : 22 – 24). If you don’t know how to give God quality worship, you will be robbing yourself of several benefits.

Similarly, when prayers go up, deliverance comes down. In Acts 12 : 5 – 11, after Peter was arrested, the church prayed without ceasing and deliverance came for Peter. In Matthew 15 : 21 – 28, a woman prayed and deliverance came for her daughter. If only you can pray, deliverance will come to your loved ones, your church and leaders. Such prayer is a demonstration of love and commitment to the one you are interceding for. In addition, to provoke a divine visitation, an uncommon offering should go up. An example here is Solomon who gave an uncommon sacrifice and God Himself came down (2 Chronicles 1 : 6 -15). If you are a miser, you will surely miss visitors from Heaven. When the giving of first fruits increase goes up, unlimited returns come down (Proverbs 3 : 8 – 9). Also, when first fruits sacrifice goes up, irreversible blessings come down. An example here was when Abraham set out to sacrifice Isaac and God swore to bless and multiply him (Genesis 22 : 1 – 18). Isaiah 1 : 19 says when obedience goes up, the good of the land comes down. When you seek the Lord, Psalm 34 : 10 says abundance would come down. When you seek God’s Kingdom, all your needs would be met. When repentance goes up, forgiveness will come down. What are you sending up?

KEY POINT:

What you send up should be determined by what you want to come down.

ARRESTING GRAVITATIONAL PULL

MEMORISE: For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.1 Corinthians 16 : 9.

READ: ACTS 3 : 1 – 8.

1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MARK 14 – 16.

Flying is the best method of motion. It is faster and usually safer than road transport. However, before you can fly, there is a major force you must overcome: this is the force of gravity. The force of gravity is a force that is out there to pull down anything that goes up. Although this force operates in the physical realm, you have a similar force operating in the spiritual realm. There are three main areas that can pull you down spiritually as you attempt to climb up or to fly: first is sickness and disease. Many times, people would want to get up and fly for the Lord but sickness and disease will pull them back. In John 5 : 2 – 9, we read of a man who was held back for 38 years. For that length of time, he was restricted to the colony of the sick. Do you desire to fly for Jesus and to accomplish great things for the Master, but sickness or disease is holding you back? In the name of Jesus, that force of sickness and disease operating in your life is broken this minute! Remember as you receive your healing, it is for you to go and serve the Lord.

Another force that could keep an individual from flying is poverty. The man born lame recorded in Acts 3 : 1 – 8 was not only incapacitated by his inability to walk, but also by poverty, hence he begged all his life for alms until the day he was healed. It is usually the rich that mostly travel by air, most poor people cannot afford to fly. When Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go, he told them to leave their flocks and wealth behind. If you are born-again but poor, you may not be a great threat to the devil. In fact, he will even want to discourage you because you lack the resources to live and serve God. But if you are saved and wealthy, the devil will be scared because he knows that you will be able to serve God, sponsor Kingdom projects, help fellow brothers and sisters in need and use that money to win souls to Christ. Are you financially limited today! That yoke is destroyed today! However, pay up all your tithe and vows to God. Sow sacrificial seed into His Kingdom, release your faith and it shall be well with you.

PRAYER POINT:

Every spiritual gravitational pull meant to hinder my motion, Father, uproot them today.

FEARING GOD

MEMORISE: But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. Exodus 1 : 17.

READ: HEBREWS 11: 6 – 7.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 79 – 81.

Another characteristic of a divine midwife is the fear of God. Exodus 1 : 17 says,

“But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.” To be God-fearing goes beyond merely believing that God exists. James 2 : 19 says,

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

Hebrews 11 : 6 says if you come to God, you must believe that He exists. But if that starting point of faith is where you stopped then what is the difference between you and the devil? The demons believe that God exists because He created them, but can we say they fear Him in that sense? Can you fear God and break His commandment without even feeling it? I doubt it.

The fear of God which starts with believing in His existence has different dimensions. If you fear somebody, you will take his word very seriously. You will not want to offend him at all. If you fear somebody, you will hold the fellow in high esteem. There is always something that you can point at that you did or did not do because of the fear you have for the fellow. In Exodus 1 : 17, the midwives Shiphrah and Puah refused to obey the decree of the Egyptian king because they feared God. They were ready to get into trouble because they feared God. In Genesis 39 : 7 – 12, Joseph persistently resisted the temptation to sleep with his master’s wife because he feared God. In Daniel 1 : 8 – 16, Daniel and his friends refused to eat food sacrificed to idols because they feared God. Do you fear God? What has the fear of God made you to do or not to do? You say you fear God yet you manipulate figures, attendance and doctor your reports. You claim to fear God yet you easily allow the contraband of lust and immorality to defile His temple- your body! You gang up or rebel against God’s servant and you claim to fear God. Do you really fear God? If you claim you do, prove it by your works, words, attitude to Him, His servants and His work.

KEY POINT:

Those who fear God are known by the level of their obedience to God’s Word.

FINISHING THE RACE

MEMORISE: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2 Timothy 4 : 7.

READ: 2 TIMOTHY 4 : 6 – 8.

6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 70 – 72.

God has called us into an uncommon race. But unlike an earthly or carnal race, the strength for you to run this race can only be supplied by the Holy Spirit. If you read 2 Corinthians 11 : 23 – 33 and 2 Corinthians 4 : 7 – 9, you will see some of the difficulties and challenges that Paul encountered during his race, yet he kept going on by the power of the Spirit. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, it becomes easy to finish strong. In a football game, 22 people would have kicked the ball up and down for the better part of 90 minutes or more; although the men become tired, yet the ball remains strong. Are you battered, beaten and kicked about like the ball? Hold on to the Holy Spirit! He will ensure nothing deflates you. As long as He has filled you, you will be able to fly and weather every negative situation that comes your way.

Moreover, Paul declares in 2 Timothy 4 : 6 – 8 that he successfully finished the race. When you are through with your divine assignment on earth, you will know. May you finish your assignment before your time is up. John the Baptist completed his assignment after he pointed everybody to Jesus. After that, he was just marking time, waiting to be called home. Paul equally completed his assignment on earth and after that; he began to long for his heavenly rewards. Beloved, there are several cases of people dying before they completed their assignment. Such people will be served a query in Heaven. But it is also possible to say like Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 2 Timothy 4 : 7.

In the lives of many believers today, there are so many pending issues: pending repentance, pending restitutions and unfinished assignments from the Master. Some people are yet to win the number of souls that God has assigned to them. Some others are debtors in following up of converts. Tithes, offerings, vows and pledges are areas many still owe God. Check your life and find out where you owe God, and immediately put your house in order. If Paul can finish the race, you too can.

ACTION POINT:

Go for a comprehensive medical check up: thank God for the good result but prayerfully stand against any negative report.

MEET A CHAMPION.

THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER 2013 THEME: MEET A CHAMPION.

MEMORISE: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10 : 13.

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 10 : 12 – 14.

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 67 – 69.

In life, most potential champions never become champions. But one potential champion that became a champion is Joseph. He was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. He was specially loved by his father being a son of his old age and product of his late heartthrob – Rachel. Considering that we live in the end times, we can conveniently claim to be children of an ageing world too. He was favoured and had a dream which infuriated his brothers the moment they heard of it. At some point, Joseph overcame the death his brothers had planned for him. Later, the devil came in the form of a woman and tempted him, but he told himself that if he loses that battle, he had lost his destiny. He passed the test even though it landed him in prison. It was not an easy road for this potential champion turned champion

.

From his history, we see that one boy had a dream out of 12 brothers and he stood out. Whenever you face temptation, always remember that God loves you. God gave a big dream to a small boy. This tells us that potential champions are not usually chosen according to their biological age. Take Moses for example: he was the youngest of three, yet he was chosen. Joseph was number 11 in a family of 12. What of David? He was the last born of his father’s house. On the other hand John the Baptist was the first born and was chosen ( Luke 1 : 1 – 17 ). The most important thing is not when and how you were born but whether God has a purpose for your life ( Jeremiah 1 : 4 – 5 ). Whenever we are ordaining people, all we are doing is replicating what had already been done in the spirit realm. Also, the bigger the dream that God gives to you, the tougher will be your opposition. Usually, competitions are done according to weight. We have light, middle, feather and heavy weight. Bringing a featherweight to fight a heavyweight is a mismatch. God’s plan for your life will determine the selection of the enemies and situations you will face in life. May you never fail God in the challenges of life and may you come out victorious like Joseph.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, You helped the patriarchs of old to overcome and make it to Heaven, help me to overcome and to make it to Heaven too.

 

WORK-IN-PROGRESS

MEMORISE: For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Mark 4 : 28.

READ: MARK 4 : 26 – 29.

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 64 – 66.

God wants your hope to rise. He wants you to rise up. You can rise by being pushed up, pulled up or carried up. This season, you shall rise up. In 1 Kings 18 : 41 – 45, we notice that while the fist-like cloud that appeared in answer to the prayer of Elijah was rising, it was also spreading. Verse 45 of that scripture says,

“And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.” This simply, tells us that God does certain things in stages. The Gospel of Jesus Christ that would spread to all parts of the earth started one day in Israel through the Saviour Himself. A business that would cover the world may start small in a hidden location.

This speaks of progressive increases. Sometimes, some blessings are received bit by bit progressively, yet they are from God. The lame man started by rising, then walking, then leaping and praising God at the beautiful gate ( Acts 3 : 1 – 11 ). Even naturally, God designed trees to grow progressively.

“For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.”

Mark 4 : 28

God takes some people from nothing to being great and allows that greatness to spread and to keep on rising until the fellow becomes very great and is envied by a nation. There are some people who are too impatient with God. When He starts a miracle, they sense it. In the process of Him moving it from one stage to another, they become impatient and start to complain that their miracles are hanging or incomplete. In the process, many have bungled their miracle. Be wise! Has the Lord started something good in your life or circumstance? Thank Him. You are a work-in-progress in His hands. You may not get the clear picture until He either shows it to you or when you meet Him on the other side of eternity. Know that the One who has begun a good work will surely complete it. He will perfect every good thing that pertains to you. Is there any unfinished business in your life? Engage thanksgiving from today.

KEY POINT:

The gap between where you are now and where you are going can be filled with thanksgiving.

WAIT ON HIM

MEMORISE: If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Job 14 : 14.

READ: PROVERBS 27: 18 – 19

18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 61 – 63.

It is better to be conveyed while flying than to fly by self effort. The One who is carrying you in that flight is Jesus (John 15 : 5). He is the aircraft you will be riding in; hence Philippians 4 : 13 says,

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” 

This means you will be accomplishing things, attaining heights and breaking new grounds using His resources – physical and divine energy, wisdom, guidance, etc. While you are spending His resources yours are intact. He will be doing the work while all you have to do is wait on Him. When He says you must wait, then you must wait. Many of us do not want to wait on Him but we want to reap the benefits of waiting. How can this be? You go to His presence and pray for five minutes and you think that will do. To get to the top, you must learn to wait on Him. You must separate yourself in a room and just wait on Him by praising and worshiping Him. Wait on Him by thanking Him and studying His Word. Sometimes, you may just worship Him and wait on Him in silence to hear what He will say to you. Be in no hurry. 

Waiting on God is one thing we must learn.

Sometime ago, one of our past presidents during his tenure said he wanted to see me. The appointment was for 11 a.m. but I was there by 10 a.m. He did not see me until I threatened to leave because I had sick people waiting for me. I could say so because he needed my help but if it was the other way round, I would have been prepared to wait until 10 p.m. Do you know that the Almighty God is greater than any president? Yet many of you can wait for days for an earthly king to answer you but find it difficult to wait for the King of kings to answer you. If you can wait on Him, He will definitely make it worth your while. Just one blessing from waiting on Him can put a stop to sorrow in a particular area of your life forever. From today, create time to wait on Him and gradually improve on it.

KEY POINT:

Waiting on Him is a major secret for open doors.

PROBLEMS AND SIZES

MEMORISE: And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. Numbers 13 : 30.

READ : NUMBERS 13 : 26 – 31.

26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : GENESIS 40 – 42.

If you truly want to have a big testimony, then you are indirectly inviting a mountain. The best a little problem can deliver to you is a small testimony. A man who is healed of headache will have a small testimony compared to a man who is healed of cancer. But even that is small compared to the man who died and resurrected after God’s intervention. This season, every big problem facing you will produce big testimonies.

On the other hand, the size of your mountain is proportional to the size of your destiny. The bigger the mountain you are confronted with, the greater your destiny is. The longer the period the mountain remains, the more enduring your glory will be. If God is leading you to a great promised land, expect giants on your way. In Numbers 13 : 26 – 33, the spies that Moses sent to spy out the land of Canaan returned with their report. After confirming that the land flows with milk and honey, verse 28 says,

“Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.”

This clearly shows that giant problems would most likely occupy a land flowing with milk and honey. When your destiny is big, your mountains will be big too. When Satan sensed that David was going to be king, he brought a giant to face him. Why? Satan wanted to rob David of his destiny by bringing a mountain in the form of a giant before him. Every giant the devil has brought before you shall fall in Jesus name. In the same vein, when the Lord Jesus was to go through major temptations at very crucial stages of His life – starting of His ministry and preparation for the Cross, Satan did not send his demons but went to tempt Him himself. Even today, when it comes to a very important issue that will affect both kingdoms seriously, Satan still personally tempts God’s bona fide servants. When your mountain is big, it is likely you are a spiritual heavy weight champion in God’s Kingdom. Be encouraged if you are facing mountains, you are in a privileged position to prove the power of your God.

KEY POINT:

Encountering big problems should not discourage you but encourage you that you have a big destiny ahead of you.

AVOID BURN OUTS

MEMORISE : And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. Mark 6 : 31.

READ : :MARK 6 : 30 – 31.

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : GENESIS 37 – 39.

If you look at the story of the ten virgins recorded in Matthew 25 : 1 – 13, you will find out that in the beginning, all their lamps were burning. However at some point, some ran out of oil. God generally created things to be refillable. Plants generally draw on the soil to derive nutrients on a regular basis. Animals such as goats and sheep regularly feed on grass and water to survive. Some time ago, while discussing on animals with my wife, we realised and concluded that almost every living thing spends about half of their time looking for what to eat. We also concluded that animals that feed on grass keep on multiplying whereas those who prey on fellow animals like themselves are fast becoming extinct. If you survive by destroying others, you will soon be extinct. We also discovered that normally, people eat two or three times daily, unless they are fasting.

Ministers of God must learn to refuel. After Jesus Christ performed some special miracles in Matthew 14 : 15 – 23, He found a secret place to refuel. Unfortunately, many of us think we do not need to recharge. No, we do! Some of my colleagues keep asking me why I keep fasting. Believing I have enough, they also ask, “What do you want again?” It is dangerous to keep working for God without recharging. It will lead to burn out. In Mark 6 : 30 – 31, when the disciples returned excited, the Lord simply told them to step aside and rest for a while. Some ministers don’t attend our Solemn Assembly programme because they think it is a waste of time. They would ask why they should come and sit down for four days when souls are perishing. Of what use are your efforts if you do not make it to heaven? If you are fagged out, then it will be easy and even attractive to fornicate, steal or patronise the flesh. An African proverb says: “When a big problem knocks you down, the small ones will climb over you.” Those who experience a burn out are not far from sinning.

KEY POINT :

If you are too busy to rest and recharge, be prepared to crash and be spent. One is obviously cheaper than the other.

WAYS OF RISING

MEMORISE : I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Psalm 40 : 1.

READ : JUDGES 6 : 11 – 16.

11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : GENESIS 33. – 36.

If you are prepared to start small, God is prepared to turn that small thing into something beyond your wildest imagination. This season, hope will arise for you in Jesus name. There are different ways to arise, one way is by being pushed up. One person that was pushed up was Moses. In Exodus 4 : 10 – 17, God told him he was going to be used to deliver His people, but he refused. God showed him some miracles to convince him but he still did not yield, so God had to push him up. Another person God pushed up was Joshua. In Joshua 1 : 1 – 8, God had to tell him thrice to be strong and to be of good courage because he was afraid of stepping into the shoes of his master. What of Gideon? God chose him but he refused to yield so God had to push him up (Judges 6 : 11 – 16). In any way you are refusing to key into God’s plan for your life, the Lord will push you up in Jesus name.

Another way to experience a rise is to be pulled up. Psalm 40 : 1 – 3 describes how God brought up the Psalmist from the miry clay, set him on the rock and established him. Also, in 1 Samuel 16 : 11 – 13, David who was only a shepherd boy saw himself being anointed king in the midst of his able-bodied brothers. God pulled him up. In the name that is above every other name, wherever you are, in the depth of sin, sickness, lack, ignominy, shame, disgrace, bondage or defeat, the Lord will pull you up this season. Yet, a third way to rise is to be carried up. Isaiah 40 : 31 talks of people mounting up on eagles’ wings. In 2 Kings 2 : 11, Elijah was carried up into Heaven by chariots of fire. In 1 Kings 1 : 11 – 40, Solomon did not know what was going on and suddenly he was declared king. This season, the Lord will carry you on wings like the eagle. Your effort will not solely be the determinant factor but also His favour and grace. You will see yourself rising from now on. It is your set time of favour (Psalm 102:13). You shall begin to rise and no one and nothing will be able to stop you.

PRAYER POINT :

Father, beyond my expectations, lift me up