A NEW BEGINNING OF PROSPERITY

FRIDAY 1st MAY 2015

A NEW BEGINNING OF PROSPERITY

Memorise: 

This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Exodus 12:2.

Read: Exodus 12:33-36

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:

36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

Message:

When the Almighty God grants a new beginning to an individual or a nation, it could be a new beginning of prosperity. Imagine the Hebrew nation which for over four hundred years had been at the mercy of their Egyptian rulers, coming out of Egypt as millionaires simply because the Almighty God decided to grant them a new beginning. I pray for you that this month shall be to you as the first month of the year in astonishing prosperity in Jesus’ Name. 

How did the Lord do this for the Israelites? The Bible says that He gave them favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that the Egyptians gave them whatever they asked for. The treasures of the Egyptians were transferred to them without them having to shoot an arrow. The Bible in Proverbs 16:7 says:

“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

This scripture sums up the experience of the Israelites. Whenever God makes a pronouncement, we shall learn to take Him at His word. Sometimes, this is easier read about than practised. Imagine how difficult it would have been for the Israelites to believe that before daybreak after the night of the Passover. They would cross over from poverty to prosperity.

“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month” Joel 2:23.

For this beautiful prophecy to come to pass in your life, some spiritual conditions must be met. Prior to this prophecy, the Lord demanded that his people turn to Him with all their hearts: with fasting, weeping and mourning (Joel 2:12-13). He asked them to rend their hearts and not their garments, and return to Him. 

We can deduce from this narrative that the poor condition that a lot of people find themselves in today is caused by their spiritual poverty. Some people live in abject poverty because their lifestyle has turned God, who should bless them, into their enemy. Here is the good news: when this great God turns a life around onto godliness, he also changes the physical condition of the fellow concerned. 

Settling the issue of poverty was one of the reasons why Christ came (2nd Corinthians 8:9). In the Name of Jesus Christ, I welcome you to your new beginning of prosperity. Only believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of your sins.

Prayer Point:

Father, in your infinite mercy, banishe poverty from every area of my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: RUTH 1-2 and MARK 1:1-28

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

WATCH THAT BACKSLIDING

THURSDAY 30th APRIL 2015

WATCH THAT BACKSLIDING

Memorise:

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. Proverbs 14:14.

Read: John 6:66-69

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Message:

Backsliding does not happen suddenly. It’s a process that occurs over a period of time, during which a person becomes lax in his thought life and begins to entertain worldly desires. To backslide means to turn away from the path of light to the ways of evil from which one was once saved. 

There are many prodigal sons and daughters today who have forsaken their first love in the pursuit of materialism. Many workers in the vineyard of God, who started well, have allowed their spiritual fire to grow cold, thereby departing from the faith. Hebrews 10:38 says,

“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

A backslider loses interest in the Lord, in the Bible, in prayer, fellowship and witnessing, and eventually turns to the world. It is like a dog returning to its vomit. You will not backslide in Jesus’ Name. The flesh will always find expression when people fail to focus on spiritual things.

The flesh clouds the minds of God’s children with such things as idle past-times, sports and television, and fills their heart with junk at the expense of spiritual growth. Before you know it, backsliding would have commenced. Someone who has always been very zealous for God will then begin to miss church meetings when there are crucial match fixes. A sister who has been very productive in evangelism will then begin to come late to meetings because of addition to certain television soaps. 

As Christians who are Heaven bound, we have to be very careful. Let us keep ourselves away from danger zones as much as we can. You have to be very vigilant and sober so that the devil doesn’t drag you to Hell with little things you think do not matter (1st Peter 5:8). Those detrimental “little things” you fail to terminate may end up terminating your destiny (Song of Solomon 2:15).

Remember that even David, a man after God’s heart, fell for Bathsheba. Samson, the Lord’s anointed from the womb, lost his two eyes and was reduced to a prisoner grinding corn inside the enemy’s prison. One of my sons came to me complaining of a problem. He confessed that as every weekend drew to a close; he would get excited, looking forward to the next Monday morning because he would see his secretary again. I told him to disengage her from the job. 

A proverb in my native tongue says “Stay away from a snake whose head is still intact.” Whatever you can’t control will truncate your destiny. Whatever is capable of destroying your testimony must be avoided. Sometimes you need to apply wisdom and not strength (Ecclesiastes 9:18).

Action Point:

Take wise, decisive action on any relationship that has the potential of destroying your testimony.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 20-21 and Mathew 28.

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE.

RESTITUTION

WEDNESDAY 29th APRIL 2015

RESTITUTION 

Memorise: 

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Luke 19:8

Read : Luke 19:1-10

1 AND Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Message:

Restitution is the act of making right that which has been wrongly done to the injury of others. It involves restoring what has been wrongly taken, and repairing or giving the equivalent of any loss or damage. This is a very important aspect of Christianity that proves genuine salvation. Even though this teaching is not popular among preachers today, the word of God is forever settled on it. 

If we are to experience a clear conscience and have a good testimony among those within the church and in the world, we must obey the teaching on restitution. Restitution is not a 21st century teaching. It has been in practice from Bible days. While salvation is aimed at making your ways right with your maker, restitution is aimed at making your ways right with your fellow man. One is not complete without the other. It is the desire of God for us to correct all past wrongs which are correctable. It may be difficult to carry out restitution for wrongs done in the past, but the mercy of God is always available to help, even when it looks difficult.

If you are genuinely converted, you should return those things that you may have stolen or converted to your own use which belong to others or to your place of work. This includes your tithes and first fruit, the non- payment of which is robbery. 

There are things that belong to others which you may have destroyed. These must be replaced. Restitution includes reconciling with people who may have quarreled with you in the past. We must make restitution for all lies and things wrongly said about anyone which have resulted in causing trouble for the person involved. Every marriage contracted contrary to the standards of the Bible must be visited and reviewed. 

There are some sensitive cases of restitution that you do not carry alone. In such cases you must seek counsel from those who are Spiritually more mature than you. They will guide you through the help of the Holy Spirit on the appropriate way to go about it.

When you obey God by making restitution, you will receive His favour. The favour of God removes all your years of labour and makes your life a blessed one. Also, when you restitute your ways, you will experience speedy answers to all of your prayers. 

This is because you have made peace with God and you have a clear conscience towards man. When you make restitution, you will no longer live under the bondage of fears, because there is nothing else to hide. 

Action Point:

Prayerfully take steps to carry out restitution in every applicable area of your life."

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 19 and Mathew 27:45-66

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

CHOOSE TO BE SANCTIFIED

TUESDAY 28th APRIL 2015

CHOOSE TO BE SANCTIFIED 

Memorise:

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Message:

It is the express will of God that every believer is sanctified ( 1 Thessalonians 4:3 ). For us to become vessels unto honour, fit for the Master's use, we have to be fully sanctified ( 1 Timothy 2:21). To be sanctified is to be separated unto the process of becoming like Jesus Christ ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). Sanctification helps the believer to live a holy life. Right from creation, God has always been in search of vessels to glorify. The Lord will find you worthy for His glorious use in Jesus' Name. Today, He is still looking for men to honour by using them. One thing you must know is that the scarcity of men is not the issue; it is the scarcity of sanctified vessels. A holy God cannot fill unholy vessels. A vessel that God will use for doing great exploits in life must be clean always. All those who are still finding it difficult to deal with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life cannot be used of God for honourable purposes.

It is a great privilege for God to use a person. God will never play your role even though He wants to honour you. You must be made pure through and through the blood of Jesus. You must be willing to resist ungodly thoughts and every other thing that has the potential of defiling you physically and spiritually. Sin makes a vessel impure. The choice is yours to make.

The one who wants to be used and honoured by God must refuse compromise by following the norm ( Daniel 1:8 ). You cannot go far if you are not sanctified. You cannot be an oracle of God if you are not ready to deny yourself of the present in order to buy the future. God's vessels are not democratically elected. His choices are made based on what He deems fit for His purpose ( Hebrews 2:4 ). The moment He picks you and you are willing to leave your life in His hands, you will not regret that you did. 

The call to sanctification is a clarion call to all. It is a call of privilege to become vessel of honour fit for the Master's use. If you accept and allow God to perfect His good works concerning you, you will become a wonder to yourself. You must be willing to let go and let God work on your weaknesses. You must be ready to decrease so that Christ may increase in you. Give attention to the study of the word of God. Memorise it and do all that it commands. Do not love the world or the things that are in it. Beware of pride, rebellion, envy, strife, ungodliness and uncontrollable desire for wealth. Watch and pray. Do not allow anything to stain your glorious garments. Get back to God and remain connected to Him in all that you do. 

Prayer Point:

Father, sanctify me wholly from every besetting sin by the Blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 16:23-18:31 and Mathew 27:15-44

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

THE BENEFITS OF SALVATION II

MONDAY 27th APRIL 2015

THE BENEFITS OF SALVATION II 

Memorise:

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23

Read: Ezekiel 36:24-30

24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

Message:

As a child of God, it is part of your benefits to enjoy continuous spiritual victory over the kingdom of Satan. The devil is the last person that would like to see you saved. He is committed to anything that will pull you down from your new-found faith. You have to be aggressive in your response to him (1st Peter 5:8-9). Jesus with those words granted you authority as a believer in Luke 10:19

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

It is this authority that you use in commanding respect. It is this authority that will make demons to bow. You use the authority in Jesus to put challenges events and circumstances where they belong. For instance, it is the authority backing a policeman that makes him simply raise his hands to stop oncoming vehicles. As long as he is in that uniform, he will command obedience. If you are born-again, authority has been given to you. You are to make use of this authority to preach good tidings to the meek. You are to bind up the broken-hearted. You are to decree liberty to those who are captives and the opening of prisons to those that are bound. Your authority is to be used for commanding the devil and his activities out of your jurisdiction.

Some times ago, while travelling to Ilesha in southwest Nigeria, I saw a vehicle parked along the way at Ile-Ife. The bonnet of the car was opened, and on closer inspection, I saw one of my daughters standing by the car. I decided to park and find out what the matter was. I asked her what was wrong with her car. She replied that there was nothing wrong with the car, but that everything was wrong with her personally. She told me that the baby in her womb had not moved for several days, and that the doctor had confirmed that the baby was dead. She parked her car to contemplate on what she should do. Since I was with her at that point, she asked me to just lay my hands on her stomach and speak the word of power so that the baby would come back to life. I did as she requested and continued with my journey. The Lord honoured my words, and that child came back to life again. This same child graduated from the university in 2003. This miracle was made possible because of the benefits of salvation. Without salvation, I couldn’t have commanded even a dead cockroach to come back to life, but in salvation lies the power of resurrection. This is the way I know that everything dead in your business is coming back to life, and the supreme power of God is swallowing up all the powers of the enemy in your life in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

By the authority given to me by Jesus, I destroy everything limiting God’s benefits in my life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judges 15:1-16:22 and Mathew 26:69-27:14

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

THE BENEFITS OF SALVATION 1

SUNDAY 26th APRIL 2015

THE BENEFITS OF SALVATION 1

Memorise: 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Read: Isaiah 25:8-9

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Message:

Salvation is a package full of benefit cutting across the three spheres of human existence: the spirit, the soul and the body (1st Thessalonians 5:23). When you experience salvation, the life force of God is released to you. You will begin to have a strong desire of holiness. Rather than condemnation, you will receive justification. Instead of punishment for sins committed, you will receive a credit of righteousness into your account. The new man in you has a lifestyle patterned after and controlled by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter promised by the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives man total victory over sin and empowers him for service in God’s kingdom.

Through the miracle of salvation, the one who was a sinner yesterday becomes a saint today. With his spirit, he begins to relate with God. With his mind, he receives inspiration on issues. With his body, he carries out the dictates of the Great Master. As a child of God, you have tremendous opportunities that others do not. With the assurance of full salvation, everywhere you go, goodness and mercy will follow you. I prophesy to your life today that you will never again be stranded; everywhere you turn to, there will be open doors. No one ever followed Jesus and had regrets (except the son of perdition). If you abide in Christ, you will always flourish. It is time for believers to wake up. God does not want His children running from pillar to post. The mind of excellence is in you. You have the mind of the Son of God; therefore, enter into your inheritance. It is time to balance our growth. In every area of your life, there should be full evidence that God is in charge. The Abrahamic covenant has no limitations (Genesis 13:14-15). You can go as far as you can see. In Christ, there are no limits to the heights you can attain except the ones you set for yourself. We should be envied by unbelievers and not pitied. We should be mobile signposts of signs and wonders. As a child of God, your salvation makes you a candidate for miracles. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is still very much alive. Be prepared to yield to what He says to you. He is willing to turn every hopeless and unpleasant situation in your life into a great testimony. Stop relying on your sense. Focus on the word of liberty that is able to set you free. As a believer, is your business crippled or do you find it difficult to make progress in anything you do? I command you in the Name of Jesus to rise up and walk now. Let all crippled businesses receive competitive strength now. Let there be rejoicing leaping, Singing and clapping in all areas of your life in Jesus’ Name.  

Prayer Point:

Father, let me experience the full joy of salvation in every area of my life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 12-14 and Mathew 26:47-48

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

JESUS THE SAVIOUR

SATURDAY 25th APRIL 2015

JESUS THE SAVIOUR

Memorise:

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

Read: John 3:16-18

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Message:

The number-one treasure of the Church is Jesus Christ. Through Him, all things consist (Colossians 1:17). He is the Almighty who no one can make mightier; He is the richest one who no one can make richer. The earth and its fullness belong to Him. 

Every bit of what He says is always in our own best interest. Jesus teaches that there is nothing more valuable than the soul of a man (Mathew 16:26). The salvation of your soul is worth more than all the treasures of this world. The devil is after this salvation because thieves only go after treasures. The devil would do anything within his power to inhibit our relationship with the Giver of salvation, Jesus the Saviour. There is nothing as great as following Jesus. 

Following Jesus will cost you a lot of things, just as it cost God the Father the price of Jesus His Son to establish your salvation. Anyone who will follow Jesus the Saviour must be ready for a life of discipleship. This will be measured by the proof of your willingness to go the extra mile. You have to set a high bar of self-denial for yourself. If you want to follow Jesus, you must not allow anything to come between you and your loyalty to him.

The greatest problem of man is nothing else but the issue of sin. This problem was what Jesus the Saviour came to solve. Every benefit we can derive from Jesus is tied to salvation. Without salvation, man is doomed for destruction. When you accept Jesus, you receive the power to become great (John 1:12). 

Anyone who does not accept this free gift of God cannot attain their full potential in life. May you not leave this world without fully achieving the plan and purpose of God for your life in Jesus’ Name. When you accept Jesus, there will be an instant change in your life.

Those who knew you before will not be able to identify you again by virtue of the transformation that would have taken place in your life. Those who were acquainted with your past life will never be able to correlate your past with your present (2nd Corinthians 5:17). One of my sons used to be an impossible character. He was so unruly that during holiday periods, parents would keep their children under lock and key the moment they discovered he was around. This was because he would go for anything in a skirt. 

However, he eventually met with Jesus the Saviour and surrendered his life to Him and immediately, his life was transformed. Those who knew him before wondered how the change happened. You too can experience Jesus the Saviour today and overcome all sins (Galatians 5:24). As long as you are sincere, help is very close to you. All you need to do is ask Him to come into your life and change your negative experience to a positive one.

Action point:

List 3 transformations that have occurred in your life since you met Jesus the Saviour.  

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judges 10-11 and Mathew 26:26-46

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

SIN: CONSEQUENCES & CURE

FRIDAY 24th APRIL 2015.

SIN: CONSEQUENCES & CURE.

Memorise: 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23

Read: Ezekiel 18:20-24

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 8:29-9:57 and Mathew 26:6-25.

Message:

Sin is disobedience to God or a deviation from His ways. From the account in Genesis 3, we understand that sin cannot be hidden. Every secret sin will always be discovered; it’s only a matter of time (Numbers 32:23). When sin comes in, there is a loss of relationship with God. When we house sin in our lives, no matter the amount of time we spend in the place of prayer, the heavens will remain shut. Sin is not a lifter; rather it leads to demotion. It brings shame and reproach to someone with a glorious future as seen in the case of Samson. Proverbs 14:34 says,

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Although Samson was born great, by including in sin, his destiny was truncated (Judges 16:20-21). God has been warning a lot of people about the consequences of their actions, but they have refused to depart from the path of iniquity. Some people remain in disobedience until they experience a negative turning point in their lives. King Saul was a king who happened to be handsome, rich, healthy, powerful and prominent. His word was law, but he disobeyed God and kept going contrary to God’s divine will until tragedy struck.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" 2nd Chronicles 7:14.

The only way a lost relationship with God can be restored is obtaining pardon for sin through genuine repentance. The good news is that the death of Jesus on the cross has made adequate provision for the remission of our state of hopelessness against sin. We must be convinced of the need for pardon and be willing to confess our sins, no matter how numerous and terrible they are. God is ever willing to grant pardon to a genuinely repentant soul. 

Genuine repentance involves a change of mind that leads to a change of conduct. This change of conduct will lead to a life of holiness, through which the repentant soul becomes a vessel unto honour for the Master’s effective use. Such a person will then begin to work towards the attainment of perfection in Christ Jesus. Having done all these, there is a guarantee of an inheritance in Christ and an assurance of everlasting life.

Prayer point: 

Father, I thank you for the Blood of Jesus that was shed for the remission of my sins. I accept this provision of Yours, and ask that it washes away all my sins.

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE.

SECRETS OF ANSWERED PRAYERS

THURSDAY 23rd APRIL 2015

SECRETS OF ANSWERED PRAYERS

Memorise:

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7

Read: John 16:23-27

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judges 6:36-8:28 and Matthew 25:31-26:5

Message:

Although prayer is at the very heart of our relationship with God, not all prayers are answered by Him. There is therefore a need to understand the secrets of getting answers to our prayers. First and foremost, you need to understand God’s original blueprint concerning any aspect of life you are praying about, and align your prayers with it. God said in Isaiah 55:8-9 that:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Although God’s thoughts are higher than ours, His thoughts are directed towards giving us peace, joy and fulfilment in life. No matter how much good you want for yourself, you can never get something better than God’s best for you. Often times, people ask God for something that He is not involved in. Such prayers will definitely go unanswered. You need to learn to wait for God’s timing. It is dangerous to be impatient with God. What is the motive behind your request? Why are you in such a hurry? Patience is an indispensable virtue for all believers in Christ. There is hardly any promise of God that can be fulfilled in your life without the application of patience (Hebrews 6:12). Until patience has had its full impact on your life, you cannot get the best from God. In addition to the afore mentioned, the secrets to answered prayers include thanksgiving and praises. If you can give thanks and praise while praying effectively, closed doors will be forced open by God as He inhabits your praises.

Your attitude during the period of waiting for the manifestation of your answered prayers is very crucial to God. You must know how to conduct yourself during your waiting period. There are people who think the world should come to an end just because the answer to their prayers has not yet manifested. Some women who are waiting for God to give them the fruit of the womb begin to wear sad looks; while some men trusting God for a job suddenly become monsters to everyone around them. It does not matter how much trouble you are facing, provided you keep on praying, God will be there to make sure you have a great testimony in the end. Always remember that negative situations will not bow to your attitude. The moment you see the appearance of an unpleasant situation, go immediately into your closet and begin to call on the Almighty God (Psalm 50:15). Don’t wait till the storm is overwhelming before you cry out to Him. 

Action point:

Put aside that sad look and let the glory of God radiate through you as you await God’s best.

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

SOWING BEFORE REAPING

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 2015

THEME: SOWING BEFORE REAPING 

Memorise:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

Read: Galatians 6:7-10

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judges 5:1-6:35 and Mathew 25:14-30

Message:

Our God is great. Not only is He great, He is the Greatest. He possesses all Wilsom , riches and glory. The plan of God and His delight is for you to prosper ( 3 John 2 ). Prosperity here implies abundance, fullness and sufficiency. One thing we need to know is that prosperity does not come by speaking in tongues, but by the wisdom of sowing and reaping. At a particular time in my ministry, by necessity , I started given out neckties to elders who were ministering along with me. I then noticed that all my close associates started given me only neckties upon their return from foreign trips. Out of curiosity, I asked God why this was so. He told me 'Son' if you sow a tie, you will reap ties .' I then switched to sowing good shoes into the life of those I was sure were of the same shoe size with me. However, the return I got from this did not come as fast as neckties did. I went back to God to know why, He told me 'Son, if you plant maize and also plant yam. Both harvest will come, but not at the same time .' Then, I Understood the lesson that it is the quality of your sowing that determines the quality of your harvest.

There is a category of people who want to reap without sowing, they can best be described as thieves. It is very wrong to expect a harvest when you have not sown. Make efforts to sow into that particular area of life where you desire harvest. Entering into your financial breakthrough may not come easy. You have to provoke Heaven to act on your behalf by sowing. No one is poor enough to have nothing to sow. If you check yourself very well, you will realise that there is a seed in your hand you can sow. The Church in Macedonia had so little, yet, they were committed to giving to the work of God ( 2 Corinthians 8:1-2 ). In the early days of my joining the Redeemed Christians Church of God, there was a meeting in which my Father- in - the - Lord, the late founder of the Church, asked all workers to empty their treasury because of an urgent need in the church. Out of excitement of been privileged to be part of the saints, my wife and I as workers emptied our accounts with nothing left. At workers meeting the following Sunday, my father - in- the - Lord asked ' How many of you have done what I instructed '? Out of excitement to be counted among those who had complied, my wife and I raised our hands and we received the shock greatest of our lives. We discovered that we were the only ones that had complied! Ashamed, we quickly brought down our hands; but see what the Lord has done with our lives today. The many seeds of those days needed a lot of patience to become the great harvest of God's blessings today. 

Key Point:

Nobody is entirely poor. There is always a seed in your hand that you can sow.'

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE