IT IS FOR YOUR GOOD

Memorise: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Read: Genesis 50:15-21, Bible in one year: 1st Kings 2, Luke 1:26-56

From the beginning, the devil’s modus operandi has been to sow the seeds of doubt in the heart of mankind with regards to the plan and intentions of God for them. For example, while God’s reason for restraining Adam and Eve from eating the forbidding fruit was to keep them alive, healthy and prosperous, the devil came and told them that God did so because He did not have their good at heart (Genesis 3:4-5). It was this type of doubt that the devil sowed in the heart of Joseph’s brothers after the demise of their father. Thank God Joseph was a man who knew the mind of God; He quickly quenched their doubts. For us His children today, God has revealed His plans and intensions for us in Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

This is not an after-thoughts; rather, this has always been God’s intention for us from the beginning of creation (Genesis 1:26). It is therefore a sin to doubt the good in God’s motives when He directs us to do something or live in a particular way that is contrary to what the devil or the world expects.

Because Joseph knew the mind of God concerning all that happened to him, he rejected hero-worship from brothers and allayed their fears. He confronted them by making them understand their negative actions towards him were used by God to fulfil His eternal good purpose in his life. Genesis 50:19-20 says:

“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

In other words, Joseph was saying to his brothers that it was not they but God who sent him to Egypt for a clearly defined purpose. Paul corroborates this truth in our memory verse.

The Lord is saying to you that you should stop complaining about what is happening to you now; it is for your good. Things will work out for your good if you continue to love God even in that so-called unpleasant situation, which has a divine purpose attached to it. Once again I say to you: it is for your good, and you will soon know why.

Prayer Point

Father, according to your word, let all things work together for my good from today in Jesus’ Name.

A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE

Memorise: And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. Acts 24:16

Read: Romans 14:16-21, Bible in one year: 1stKings 1st Luke 1:1-25

The Church of Jesus Christ on earth will be healthy and pleasant if Christians would live with conscience void of offence. Unfortunately, offences often arise here and there in the Body of Christ today. This is caused by misuse of opportunities, wealth and other material possessions. For this to be uprooted from the Church, we need to apply the spiritual principles that Apostle Paul laid down in 1st Timothy 6:17-18:

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;”

A good numbered of Christians are still living under the bondage of a conscience filled with guilt. Why? It is because they have not being totally cut off from their terrible past. For instance, some of them are still living in houses they stole money to build or buy. Some find it difficult to serve their relationship with their old satanic clubs. These and many other entanglements are the reasons why they are not totally free. Some of these Christians put their pastors in tight corners, because their problems just refuse to go away. It then appears as if the pastor does not have enough anointing to deal with such problems. They then move from church to church without finding rest for their souls. The abuse of wealth and position, particularly those that are ill-gotten, robs you of a free conscience. This is why the expected life of peace, joy and contentment, which is our greatest gain and which makes us peculiar as children of God, has eluded some.

A common saying among Christians guilty of the abuse of wealth and position is “My conscience does not condemn me.” The question is: which conscience are you talking about? Is it the dead one that has become reprobate? Some of them even say “As many as are led by the spirit are the children of God.” Which spirit are you talking about? Can the spirit of God, who inspired the writing of the scripture, turn around to tell you that what He inspired men to write was a mistake? Beloved, let us not deceive ourselves any further. Let us live a Christian life devoid of offence against God and men, particularly those of the household of faith.

Prayer Point

Father, with the Blood of Jesus, please purge my conscience of all dead works that bring offence, in Jesus’ Name.

: WHAT HAS YOUR AFFECTION?

Memorize:

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. -Colossians 3:2

Read: Colossians 3:1-6
1 IF ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

MESSAGE:

I have observed that one of the reasons why many Christians find it difficult to live according to the standards of the Bible today is that their mind is not set on the things of heaven, and the reason for this is the coming of material prosperity to the church. Is it then a mistake that God has prospered us materially? Certainly not! Abraham was blessed, Isaac was blessed and Jacob was also blessed, but yet, they all served the Lord. King David even blessed the Lord for material prosperity among other things. Psalm 103:1&5 says,

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name…. who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

I have always said that the grace you need to manage material prosperity is far greater than the grace you need to manage poverty. When God begins to prosper you, you must begin to pray harder for more grace to manage the prosperity, or else, your affection may shift from the things of heaven. It is foolishness to serve the Lord and be mindful of the things of heaven when you are poor, only for you to forget the Lord who has prospered you when the wealth comes. This is why the Bible in Proverb 1:32 says:
“For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.”

For many children of God, when they will still struggling to make ends meet, their prayers used to be “Thy Kingdom come” Nowadays; they live their lives as if they are not going to die any more, and as if Jesus cannot come at any moment. Its not hard to identify those whose affection is set on the things of heaven, because they are always busy investing in the expansion of God’s kingdom. Because their investments are in heaven, their hearts are always thinking about heaven.

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” -Matthew 6:20-21

There is no certainty in whatever treasures you keep on earth. Your investment in the things of heaven is what you will be left with if you make it to heaven. Therefore, begin to set you affections on heavenly things from today.

Prayer Point:
Sweet Holy Spirit, fill my heart with love for the things of heaven in Jesus’ Name.

Bible in one year: ll Samuel 23-24, Mark 15:33-16:8

CARING FOR THE NEEDY

Memorise: For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. Deuteronomy 15:11

Read: Matthew 25:34-40, Bible in one year: 2nd Samuel 21-22, Mark 15:6-32

The Bible says something very fundamental about our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ which many of us do not pay close attention to. This relates to caring for the needy. Proverbs 22:9 says:

“He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.”

Once of the quickest ways to be blessed by God is to care for poor. The Almighty God said that the poor shall never cease out of the land, and it is His prerogative to take care of such poor people. In as much as God will not come down to do this duty Himself; He has commanded those who are blessed with resources to give to those who do not have. Whoever acts on God’s behalf by catering for the needy and the poor will be bountifully blessed by Him. This is one of the secrets of divine blessing.

Apart from blessings in this world for those who cater for the poor, our Lord Jesus Christ goes further to assure them to eternal blessings. He said that such people will be adequately rewarded in the kingdom of God. Matthew 25:34-35 says:

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was stranger, and ye took me in:”

One of the respected general overseers of a church in Nigeria once gave the testimony of how he got saved during the Nigerian Civil War. According to him, as he was running from place to place for safety during the war, he stumbled on the small residence of a Christian couple and they received him into their home. To his surprise, he had barely settled down to rest in this couple’s house when the wife placed a big plate of rice before him. He wondered how the coupled managed to prepare such sumptuous meal in the first place, and how they could sacrifice such a delicious meal to a wanderer like himself. There and then, he decided ton serve the God who was able to take care of his couple even inn the time of war. That was how he became a Christian ministry that is spread all over the place. One fact remains, the couple that led him to Christ through sacrificial hospitality will share in the reward of the harvest of souls being credited to his ministry.

Prayer Point

Father, grant me the grace and the provision I need to care for the needy in Jesus Name.

THE PRICE OF BEING A STANDARD

Memorise: Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:17

Read: 2nd Corinthians 6:14-18, Bible in one year: 2nd Samuel 19:16-20:26, Mark 14:53-15:5

To become a standard or a positive reference point, there is a price to pay. Going though the Bible, one will see that all those who got outstanding approval from God had at least one thing in common, which is that they stood out for God before they became a reference point. One of such Bible heroes is Elijah. He stood out for God on Mount Carmel. He risked being killed by the numerous prophet of Baal whom he had challenged. As a matter of fact, he was considered to be Public Enemy No. 1 by the ruler of his day, Ahab (1st Kings 21:20)

Another Bible hero is Daniel. He stood out alongside three other young Hebrew men in order to be outstanding and thus became a standard. Several times, he risked being killed because of his stand for goodliness. He knew his God and would not compromise his allegiance to Him. On one occasion, a degree forbade everybody from praying to God, but he put his life at risk by praying. He showed that he was different from every other person. The Bible says he did not go into hiding to pray; rather, he opened his windows and prayed three times a day until he was found out (Daniel 6:10). He disobeyed the malicious decree, which his malicious fellow presidents made King Darius to sign. One striking thing in this story was statement of these presidents in Daniel 6:5:

“Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

The question is: if it becomes a crime to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, will you be found guilty? It is unfortunate that Christians are steadily losing their virtue as salt and the light in this world of darkness. Christians are no longer setting the standard for godly, virtuous living. They are allowing this corrupt world to overwhelm them, failing to realise that the state of corruption they are witnessing today was predicted in the Bible so long ago t prepared us to meet its challenges (2nd Timothy 3:1-5). This is the reason why in today’s Bible reading. God commands us to come out from among evildoers, particularly false brethren. This is part of the price of being a standard; you must stand out and not conform to this world (Romans 12:2). May the Lord give you the grace to obey in Jesus Name.

Action point

Watch out for the evil deeds of this world and try to separate yourself from doing them. You will soon be noticed as different, and you will become a standard to the glory of God.

YOU ARE GOD’S SANCTUARY

Memorize:

What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? -l Corinthians 6:19

Read: l Corinthians 6:15-20
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

MESSAGE:

The most pleasurable sin to the flesh is sexual immorality. Incidentally, this particular type of sin is the most deadly because its consequences are not only spiritually unpleasant but also physically humiliating. In our Bible reading, Apostle Paul warned the Church at Corinth against sexual immorality. He explained that we the temple of God. The implication of this is that your body does not belong to you, but rather, it belongs to God. He further revealed to us the judgement that would follow if we defile the temple of God – our body. In 1st Corinthians 3:17 he wrote:

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

Are you currently involved or planning to go into any form of sexual immorality? God is warning you today. You better desist before it is too late. If sickness has turned your body into permanent place of abode, and you have claimed all the promises of God concerning healing to no avail, it would be wise to you to examine yourself. Is there any sexual sin you have committed and you have not confesses? I am afraid to tell you that you may be under God’s judgement, and there is nothing any anointed man of God can do about it unless you repent. You have defiled God’s temple; you therefore need to make amends through genuine repentance that involves confessing and forsaking this sin entirely. I know of a man of God who appeared fervent, but suddenly he was stricken with a strange sickness. This sickness persisted for so long a time that I began to wonder what was actually responsible for his affliction. One day, the Lord decided to satisfy my curiosity. Someone came to tell me some secret things about this man of God without knowing how close I was to him. He was flirting around with women, including widows! The Bible inProverbs 9:17 says a whore sits at the door of his or her house calling customers who lack understanding to come and patronise him or her, saying:

“Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

This is the deceit of the devil. There is nothing in that strange woman or man you are going out with that is not present in you spouse. The same scripture in Proverbs 9:18 says:

“But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.”

I pray that you will not go to Hell as a result of either pre-marital or extra-marital sexual adventures.

Prayer Point:
Dear Holy Spirit, please prepare me as a pure and holy dwelling place for You in Jesus’ Name.

Bible in one year: ll Samuel 16:17, Mark 14:10-31

DON’T BE CARELESS

Memorise: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matthew 24:42

Read: Matthew 24:37-44, Bible in one year: 2nd Samuel 12:24-13:39, Mark 13:3-23

While some commandments of God are very glaring, some others appear in covert mode, such that many don’t even see them as commandments. One of such subtle commandments is the commandment to “watch” (Matthew 24:42). This commandment can also be expressed this way: don’t be careless. It is unfortunate that many children of God today are careless about their Christian life, and by so doing, they have shipwrecked their faith. They live their lives as if they have nothing to lose to the enemy. Such Christians needs be reminded that they have at least one crown to protect – the crown of righteousness (2nd Timothy 4:8). The Lord in Revelation 3:11 says this to us:

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ expressly commanded us to watch. Have you pondered on why He gave us this command? It is because He knew He would not be coming back as quickly as we would expect, and that there would therefore be the tendency for us to become careless with respect to our readiness for His return. We are all living witnesses of the spiritual decadence that is enveloping the Church today. The Lord used the experience of Noah’s period ton warn us that His coming will be sudden. He said it will be business as usual for most people at this time, and they will have no inkling whatsoever of what is about to happen (Matthew 24:37-39). When I see Christian brothers and sisters being careless about holiness, I begin to wonder whether they still believe the words of the scriptures, particularly those that came directly from the mouth of our Lord Himself. Different scriptures are being fulfilled in our time more than ever before, and so many seem not to bother! In the early days of spiritual awakening, some Christians would not even want to marry in order to avoid the cares of this life. But these days, even some pastors are changing two, three or four women in rapid succession. It used to be that Christians dressed for the purpose of covering their nakedness, but today, we dress for “fashion”. Some Christian women even compete with call girls in their mode of dressing. This scenario playing itself out may be as a result of the “delay” in the return of our Lord. Yet, the scripture has already warned us against this in Matthew 24:43-44:

“But know this, that if the Goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Prayer Point

Dear Holy Spirit, as promised by the Lord Jesus, always being to my remembrance the need to watch and not be careless in the area of my readiness for the Lord’s return.

THE POWER OF SIGHT II

Memorise: By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Hebrews 11:24

Read: Genesis 13:14-18, Bible in one year: 2nd Samuel 11:1-12:23, Mark 12:28-13:2

The power of spiritual sight is apparent in anyone who has it. Such a person can see into the future and therefore does not exercise any form of fear. We can see these attributes manifested in Elisha in 2nd Kings 6:11-18. Elisha’s servant could not see what his master saw, and so he was afraid of the human army attempting to arrest them; but read what happens in 2nd Kings 6:17

“And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around about Elisha.”

People often ask me why I don’t go about with police escorts like many great men of God do. My answer is simple: it is great men who need human protection, and if only God would open the eyes of those who are so concerned about my safety, they would see that those who are with me are more than those with the enemies who would want to attack me.

What really kept Abraham going in his journey of faith was the power of what he was seeing. God, in several instances used audiovisual aids to build up his faith (Genesis 13:14-17, Genesis 15:5-6). What God showed Abraham was so convincing that he stopped worrying about his state of childlessness until the child of promise came.

Moses also was endowed with the power of sight; he saw into the future of the Hebrew while they were still in bondage (Hebrews 11:24-26). He saw that someday these people would be set free, while their tormentors would be in agony. He therefore preferred the temporary shame of identifying with the people of God, to the enjoyment of temporary bliss that would lead to eternal damnation. This quality qualified Moses to lead the people of God. He who sees what others can’t see will ultimately lead the rest. I pray that whatever is blocking your vision will be removed today in Jesus’ Name. A man with the power of sight will often act reasonably well. For example, after King Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth man in the fiery furnace, his perception changed (Daniel 3:23-30). May the Lord open your eyes to see the pleasant surprises that God has in store for you, so that you don’t backslide before the time of your divine visitation.

Prayer point

Father, please grant me the grace to remain committed to my future, and strengthen me to do all that is required of me to attain the glorious future.

THE POWER OF SIGHT I

Memorize:

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeepth the law, happy is he. -Proverbs 29:18

Read: John 9:1-7
1 AND as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered,Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

MESSAGE:

There are 3 categories of sight, all of which are very important. These categories include: physical, mental and spiritual. Today’s memory verse rightly summarises the risk a person without the power of sight is taking in life. The story of the man born blind in our Bible reading shows us some of the challenges a person without the power of sight faces. For as long as he was blind, this man had to be content with sitting on one spot, begging (John 9:8). Before Jesus met this man, he was already on the verge of frustration and despondency, but after his encounter with Jesus, many things took place in his life. His life was transformed for good, such that the one who had been a liability to his parents suddenly could go out and work for a living. Also, those who had been passing black to him as white before his miraculous experience would desist from doing so, because he could now see. Moreover, the danger of falling into ditches was now history in his life. The Bible in Luke 11:34a says:

“The light of the body is the eye.”

It is a great thing to have physical sight. More often than not, what we see affects our personality and our perception of life generally. For example, because my father never saw a house fitted with a modern toilet or bathtub, he never aspired ton build a house with such facilities till he died.

However, some people with physical sight lack the power of mental sight. Lack of mental sight leads to lack of knowledge which in turn leads to lack of wisdom, and as we know, wisdom is the principal thing (Proverbs 4:7). Wisdom has been defined as the correct application of knowledge, but it is only the knowledge that you have that you can apply. I pray that you will not lack mental sight in Jesus’ Name. I am praying this prayer for you because of what the Bible says inproverbs 17:25:

“A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.”

In addition to physical and mental sight, we most importantly need spiritual sight. Having spiritual sight is the bedrock of all good success. Spiritual sight exposes you to deeper truths in the word of God. Every word of God suddenly becomes meaningful to you (2nd Timothy 3:16). Those who don’t have spiritual sight to illuminate their understanding cherry-pick only those areas of scripture that favour their easy-going Christianity. You need to pray for all three categories of sight today so that you can fulfil your destiny here on earth.

Prayer Point:
Father, open my physical, mental and spiritual eyes to see and buy into the great future You have for me.

Bible in one year: ll Samuel 7:18-10:19, Mark 12:13-27

THE TURNING POINT lV

Memorize:

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. -Ecclesiastes 5:10

Read: ll Kings 5:15-20
15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

MESSAGE:

Gehazi was the servant of Prophet Elisha. He was privileged to be the apprentice of a great prophet and had the potential of inheriting at least thedouble portion of Elijah’s power that was upon Elisha. However, his covetousness ruined his destiny as a would-be great prophet. He decided to got after the material things of this world at the expense of his prophetic calling. He was so determined to go after worldly things that he even swore by God that he must “possess his possessions”. Like present-day worldly preachers, he seemed to be saying:”….. after all, he that labours by the altar must feed by the altar.” Consider his words in 2nd Kings 5:20:

“But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.”

Once his son of covetousness was found out by his master, the leprosy of Naaman was transferred to him and all his generation after him (2nd Kings 5:27).
Judas Iscariot is another individual we should learn from. He had almost the same moral and spiritual problem as Gehazi: covetousness and greed. The Bible says he was a thief, and being the treasurer of Jesus’ ministry, he often stole from the purse (John 12:4-6). His greed got to the level where he took a decision that condemned him to eternal perdition: he decided to sell his Master, the King of glory (Matthew 26:14-16). Before Judas Iscariot realised his folly, he had already ruined the opportunity of having himself numbered among the twelve apostles. He ended up committing suicide.

“Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priest and elders,… And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

-Matthew 27:3-5

Children of God in the 21st century must be wary of materialism. It is deadly; through it may not look that way. This is why John the Beloved warned us against worldliness, as if he knew what would become of the Church in the end-times (1st John 2:15-17).

Prayer Point:
Father, guide me never to take a wrong decision that will blight my future in Jesus’ Name.

The Turning Point III

Memorise: And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? -Genesis 25:32

Read: Genesis 25:29-34 (KJV)

29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Bible in one Year: 2 Samuel 3-4, Mark 11:1-19

MESSAGE:

While the decisions made at crossroads resulted in a great future for Moses, Elisha, Daniel, Peter, Paul and Ruth, the decision of Esau at such a moment blighted his future. Esau found himself at a crossroads when his brother, Jacob, offered him food (a present need) in exchange for his birthright (a future asset). He experienced a negative turning point when he chose to sell his birthright. He filled his stomach with bread and pottage of lentils, gulped some drinks, rose up and went his way, but he forever lived to regret it. The Bible inHebrews 12:16-17 says:

“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel for meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

Another figure who took a decision that led to a negative turning point was Reuben, the first son of Jacob. He defiled the bed of his father by sleeping with his father’s concubine. When Reuben was taking this decision to humiliate his father, little did he know that he was destroying his own future. Our Father in heaven deserves our honour and not humiliation. We humiliate our Heavenly Father when we offer Him worship that is polluted with sinful habits (Malachi 1:6-7). As Priest of God (Revelation 1:6), when we lift up unholy hands in worship of God, we are offering polluted “bread” on His altar. This is the reason why the Bible inRomans 12:1 says:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

The most fearful thing in the story of Reuben is that after he did the abominable act, he did not realise that his father knew about it, because his father never even mentioned it (Genesis 35:22). However, on the day of reckoning, his father placed a curse on him (Genesis 49:3-4). I will therefore encourage you to pray that the Lord will, through the blood of Jesus Christ, undo whatever you have done wrong in the past that is troubling you now even as a Christian.

Prayer Point: Father, please undo whatever I have done in the time of ignorance that has placed a curse on me.

The Turning Point II

Memorise: And Ruth said, intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: -Ruth 1:16

Read: Ruth 1:11-16 (KJV)

11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

Bible in one Year: 2 Samuel 1-2, Mark 10:32-52

MESSAGE:

After Ruth lost her husband early in life and there was no child to show for the relationship, she could never dreamt that she would be a mother of many nations through Jesus Christ our Lord (Matthew 1:5). Ruth would have been long forgotten but for a turning point in her life when she made the decision in today’s memory verse. Her sister-in-law, Orpha, kissed their mother-in-law goodbye and left, but Ruth refuses to let go. She was resolute in her decision to stay with Naomi.

After moving to the land of Israel with her mother-in-law, Ruth eventually remarried Boaz, who was a distant relation of her late husband. This union produced an ancestor of our Lord Jesus Christ, Obed (Ruth 4:13-17). Anytime I remember the decision I made to serve the Lord in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, after the founder personally followed up on me by visiting my residence just after my first visit to the Church, I give glory to God. When I was making the decision to turn away from my self-righteousness and academic pride, little did I know that I was entering into a lifetime for joy in the service of the Lord. I am grateful to the Holy Spirit who helped me make the decision. I pray for you that the Lord will help you to make the decision that will turn your life around for the best today, in Jesus’ Name. you will decide to serve God in spirit and in truth as from today in Jesus’ Name. the last mention of Orpah in the Bible was when she was at a crossroads, and she made the decision to return to her idols.

“And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.” Ruth 1:14-15

Beloved, what type of situation are you passing through now, and what decisions are you making? Have you weighed the decision you are making, and is God being brought into the picture? Think about this and go into prayer as you go about your business today.

Prayer Point: Holy Spirit Divine, please lead me aright in my decision-making process at all times.

The Turning Point 1

Memorise: And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. -Exodus 3:3
Read: Exodus 3:1-6 (KJV)
1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
Bible in one Year: I Samuel 29:31, Mark 10:1-31
MESSAGE:
A turning point is a defining moment; it is a moment of decision that either makes or mars the life of a person. In life’s journey, there are always crossroads where you have to decide whether to go to the right or to the left. At such moments, if you make the right call, glory to God, but if you make the wrong decision, may God have mercy on you. The Bible contains several examples of people who took either positive or negative turns while at crossroads. Moses is one of such persons. In today’s Bible reading, Moses made a turn that sealed not only his destiny but also that of the Jews for good. I pray for you today that God will guide you to always make the right call when you are at a crossroads in your life, in Jesus’ Name. When Moses turned to see the great sight of the burning bush, the Bible says it was then the Almighty God spoke. There are some necessary turns you must make in order to fulfil your destiny. There are steps you must take to make progress. The Bible in Exodus 3:4 says:
“And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.”
From the moment, a dialogue ensued, followed by a commissioning for an assignment of eternal value (Exodus 3:10).
Another example of someone who took the right turn was Elisha. His decision to answer the call of God to the office of a prophet made kings call him “my father” (1 kings 19:19-21, 2 kings 6:21). Also, the decision of Daniel, that he and his colleagues would not defile themselves with the king’s meat, made him outlast several kings and serve as a reference point of excellence to them all (Daniel 1:8, Daniel 1:21, Daniel 5:11-12). The day Peter forsook his big catch of fish at the lake of Gennestaret, he sealed his destiny as a foremost apostle whose shadow would heal the sick (Luke 5:10-11, Act 5:15). The turning point Paul experienced on the road of Damascus resulted in him writing more than a third of the entire New Testament, not to mention the special miracles of the Lord performed through him (Acts 9:3-8, Acts 19:11-12).
I encourage you to prayerfully decide what you want to do with you life today. Are you born-again, sanctified and Spirit-filled? Your decision today will determine if you will partake of these experiences or not. God will take over your life from the moment you make up your mind to serve Him in spirit and truth.
Action Point: Make a lasting, positive decision on what you want to do with the remaining years you have to spend on earth, and pray that God will help you stand by this decision in Jesus’ Name.

CHILD OF DESTINY

Memorise: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nation. Jeremiah 1:5

Read: Exodus 1:15-17, Bible in one year: 1stSamuel 26-28, Mark 9:30-50

A child who fulfil destiny can never be destroyed by the enemy. The fact that you alive today is a pointer to the fact that you have a destiny to fulfil, and this destiny is a good one (Jeremiah 29:11). By Pharaoh’s calculations, Moses was born to die. He orchestrated a diabolical arrangement with the midwives so that even before Moses was born, death was already waiting for him. However, the plan of God for Moses was quite different from Pharaoh’s plan. The good news is that God’s plan for you supersedes that of any human entity (Lamentations 3:37). Always be conscious of the fact that you are created for a divine purpose.

Although the children of God are a specially selected group of people (Ephesians 1:4-5), there are serious questions they must ask themselves and provide answers to in order to fulfil their destiny. Such questions include: will the plan of God for my life be fulfilled? The answer to this question is yes; that is if you are in good standing with God, because the counsel of God shall forever stand (Psalm 33:10-11). However, every child of God must remember that they can ignorantly upturn the plan of God for their lives as seen from the life-story of Eli the priest (1st Samuel 2:30)

Another question a child of God must ask if he or she would fulfil destiny is : can the plan of God for my life be completely fulfilled? The answer to this question may be positive for some and negative for some others. For example, God’s plan for Joshua was unfortunately not fulfilled completely. In Joshua 1:3-4, God declared that He would help Joshua to fully capture the whole of the Promised Land. God even spelt out its boundaries to him. But alas, at the twilight of Joshua’s life, God said this to him in Joshua 13:1:

“Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.”

What a disappointment. For you to fully realise God’s purpose for your life, you must make up your mind to be completely obedient to Him in everything He commands. When you consider the devastating effects of partial obedience on King Saul (1st Samuel 15:17-23), and the failure of King Joash of Israel who was asked to strike his arrow on the ground severally but stopped after the third strike (2nd Kings 13:18-19), you will learn how to obey God completely.

Prayer Point:

Father, help me to completely obey you in all areas, so that I may fulfil Your divine purpose for my life.

UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART?

Memorise: Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Acts 7:51

Read: Romans 6:1-10, Bible in one year: 1stSamuel 24-25, Mark 9:2-29

In his sermon just before he was killed, Stephen spoke to a Jewish audience made up of people who were circumcised in the flesh as required by God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10). However, Stephen revealed to them that there exists a circumcision beyond that of the flesh: the circumcision of heart and ears (Acts 7:51). This circumcision is spiritual. He admonished them to accept it in order to belong to the new dispensation of grace. They rejected his message and held tenaciously to the old order, which Paul declared as irrelevant under this new dispensation. 1st Corinthians 7:19 says:

“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.”

those of us who claim to know God and claim to be born-again must be careful not to fall into the same error as the Jews to whom the gospel was first preached, the circumcision of our heart and ears must not be one professed by mouth only. Our Pentecostalism must not turn to lawlessness. We must truly be circumcised in our heart and hearing, so that the message of the gospel may always have a place in our lives. We must heed the warning of Hebrews 12:15-16

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”

We tend to glory in many things as Pentecostals, as if attending a PentecostalChurch is the main ticket to heaven. Many of us have become docile in spiritual matters. The enemy is taking advantage of this passive attitude to penetrate and adulterate Pentecostal beliefs. This is why homosexuality, lesbianism and the reconstruction of the Bible doctrines handed to us by the apostle and prophets are being considered. What we must do as individuals and as a family is to retrace our steps back to our first love for the Bible and the sound teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, such as these in Revelation 3:2-3:

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”

Prayer Point

Pray for God to send revival upon His Church, especially among Pentecostals who are now growing lukewarm.

SHOWING MERCY

Showing Mercy: Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Introduction:

orm of a bleeding, beaten human being tossed in the opposite corner like a filthy rag. His new cell-mate was naked from the waist up. Sob­bing, he stayed in his corner, head down. As the man surveyed the condition of his new cell-mate he thought, He'll never make it through the night. He'll be dead by morning." Then came that still, small familiar voice.

"Give him your blanket."

"But, Lord, if I give him my blanket I'll not survive the night."

"I know. But you will be with Me. Give him your blanket."

The human ball slowly stretched out, the stature of a man. The blanket slipped from his bent shoulders. He walked across the cell and handed the man his blanket.

"Here. The Lord Jesus Christ told me to give you my blanket." For the first time he saw the man's face. It was incredulous with hope.

Another corn of wheat had fallen into the ground! The giver of the blanket died; the recipient lived. He told the story over and over of how he had life through the loving mercy of another, and how he came to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." To begin to comprehend this beatitude I believe we must understand the concept of mercy.
"What is mercifulness? It is a gracious disposition toward my fellow creatures and fellow Christians It is that kindness and benevolence that feels the miseries of others. It is a spirit that regards with compassion the sufferings of the afflicted. It is the grace that causes one to deal leniently with an offender and to scorn the taking of re­venge.
How elses can we define Mercy without mentioning GOD.... His mercy towards us is what has PREDESTINED us...Romans 8:29, Ephesians 1:5.

Years ago William Shakespeare wrote:

The quality of mercy is not strained;

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath; it is twice blest.

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown.

THE BIBLICAL MODEL FOR COURTSHIP

       We will construct some basic guidelines for courtship from our Lord's doctrinal statement on marriage.

 "For this cause shall a man leave Father and mother, and shall cleave to a wife..." ~Matt. 19:5)

"A MAN..," OR MATURITY

Why did God wait to create Eve? Why did not God create Eve at the same time He created Adam? A wise Bible teacher said the delay was for Adam to prove himself in the garden by dressing it and naming the animals. Adam had both a proven vocation and an education before God gave him a wife. Adam and Eve were full-grown adults when God joined them husband and wife. Dating is almost always too much too young.        It is a "man" who is to leave his father and mother for a wife and not a boy going out with a girl. Think with me for a moment.
       Today, we often see children going out with each other on dates. It is not uncommon for 12 to 14 year olds to be pushed into some kind of a dating situation by public schools or parents. Dating is almost always too much too young. When children start to date in the early teens, innocence is exhausted too soon. Dating is intimacy and soon creates familiarity and sexual pressure. When children start kissing and petting at 13 or 14, what are they going to do at 18 or 19? When pediatricians start diagnosing pregnancy, dating was started too young. Society has reached the point where elementary children are experimenting with sex. Sexual pressure has moved down from the colleges to the high schools, to the middle schools and is now entering the elementary grades. Some have said that innocence is dead!
       At what age should young people be allowed to go out with each other on dates? I guess the age many conservative people set is 16. However, 1 do not think that I have ever met a 16 year old that was ready for marriage and parenthood. I know what some people think, but they are wrong and the figures on teen morality prove that they are wrong, Where did dating come from? I think it came about as a result of the industrial revolution which pushed the age of adolescence up from 16-18 to 21-25. Adolescence is the period of a child's life that he spends in an adult body without having adult maturity or responsibilities. Adolescence ends when a child is able to support himself independently of his parents, family or society. As this age increased with the complexity of society, pressure for some kind of sexual stimulation and satisfaction outside of marriage became a way to provide teens with some sexual cutlet. Dating is sexual. I do not see how that truth can be successfully argued against. Just take almost any dating teens and try to restrict them to dating situations where there is no possibility of any kind of sexual intimacy and see what you run in to.
       When young people ask, "When will I be grown up enough to be treated like an adult?" I answer that there are some reliable indicators. Young people start to show some real maturity, not when they can operate an automobile, earn spending money or look down and see the top of mom's head, but when:
7. When you are ready to accept the responsibility for someone else's life, like a wife or child, you are an adult.
       If you see some wisdom and logic in these seven guidelines, I think you can also see that there is no set age to consider a young person to be an adult. Some young people would begin to demonstrate these attributes at the end of the teen years, and others do not until the end of the twenties. Mental, emotional and spiritual maturity is a very personal thing. Usually it is like holiness. When you think you have it you do not!
       Because dating is almost always too much too young, It is a serious mistake for churches and Christian Schools to have dating activities like "Sweetheart" banquets and hay rides where dating is required or encouraged. Church will not sanctify a worldly activity. Churches and Christian Schools should stick to group activities for their teens and refuse any worldly compromise with dating.
        When children and young people are loved and appreciated at home, at school and at church, and when they are away from the peer pressures of public school, they are not as eager to date as their worldly counterparts, who do not have these blessings. Children and young people from a loving, Christian environment that meet their needs are almost always older than their counterparts in the world when they do get serious about the opposite sex.

You Can Be Replaced!

Memorise: Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. -Revelation 3:11

Read: Esther 7:9, 8:2 (KJV)

Esther 7:9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.

Esther 8:2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

Bible in one Year: I Samuel 20:1-21:9, Mark 8:1-21

MESSAGE:

It is great folly to contend with God. This is why I pity those societies that have become anti-God and are challenging His commandments. God spoke about such people in Isaiah 45:9, saying:

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, What makest thou? Or thy work, He hath on hands?”

God can enthrone and dethrone at will. He does whatever pleases Him. You are blessed when God acts positively towards you, but if He decides to move against you, pray for His mercy. The Bible in Daniel 2:21 says:

“And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:”

It is a grievous experience when God decides to replace an individual. Human the Agagite experience this, and you can see the result in our Bible reading today. King Ahasuerus promoted Human above all his fellow princes. However, he thought it was by his own making that the promotion came. Little did he know that promotion does not come from the east or west, but from the Almighty God alone (Psalm 75:6-7). So, he began to misuse his highly exalted position to victimise the people of God. He continued to misbehave along this line until the Almighty God who ordained his promotion decided not only to demote him, but also to replace him. I pray for you as a child of God, that whosoever is using his or her position to victimise you shall be replaced in Jesus’ Name.

For God not to replace you, you must learn from those He has replaced. You can be replaced if you don’t make the best of the position of authority you are given to serve God’s people. Beware of divine replacement because it can affect your future generations. Eli was replaced, and his house lost the priesthood forever. God categorically said that although He was the One who said Eli’s house would walk before Him as priests forever, He had changed His mind about this (1 Samuel 2:30). Please run away from whatever will make God replace you. If you have done such things, you must repent quickly before he removes your candlestick (Revelation 2:5).

Prayer Point: Dear Holy Spirit, nudge my heart away from doing anything that will make the Father replace me in Jesus’ Name.

PRESS INTO YOUR DAY OF FAVOUR

Memorize:

For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. -Psalm 5:12

Read: Esther 5:1-3
1 NOW it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

MESSAGE:

Queen Esther is one person who pressed into her day of favour. Her experience should serve as a template for us all. She obtained favour in the sight of the king because it was the day of her favour. Be aware that the law of the land during this period was that nobody could go into the king’s inner court uninvited. Disobeying this law was equivalent to a suicide mission. But Esther went to the king in his inner court uninvited, and she lived because of favour.

The first lesson to take note of from our template is that Queen Esther did not go to the inner court of the king’s house until after three days of fasting and prayers were over. Secondly, she went into the inner court in her royal apparel, not in kitchen aprons. What does this suggest to us? It shows us that righteousness must be the garment of any person who desires God’s favour, just as stated in our memory verse. The third lesson to note is that the Queen was found standing in the court. Are you still in good standing with God, or have you for one reason or the other backslidden? To be favoured of men, you must be in good standing with God. Carefully consider the location of the king on the day of Esther’s favour. This is the fourth lesson to note. Esther 5:1 says that:

“… and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.”

Is the King of kings on the throne of your life? Do not expect the day of His favour to come if He is not. Note that the king sat against the gate of the house, overseeing everything. What will God find in you when He looks towards your direction today? Will He find filthy garments of sin or royal garments of righteousness? Imagine Esther in a kind of attire that was unbecoming, the story would have been different. A lot of people go the sanctuary of the King of kings half-naked in the name of fashion. This they do contrary to the Lord’s directive in Exodus 20:26

“Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.”

The key message here is that your nakedness must not be seen by other worshippers, thereby distracting them. The Almighty God is at the gate of your heart knocking (Revelation 3:20). Will you open for Him to come in and show you His favour today? You have agonised enough; surrender your life to the One who can grant you favour today. I prophesy to your life that today is your day of favour in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:
Father, let all men and all things work together for my favour today in Jesus’ Name.

Bible in one year: I Samuel 17:1-54, Mark 6:53-7:13

SIGNS OF HIS PRESENCE

SIGNS OF HIS PRESENCE
Memorise:
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Psalm 100:2
Read: 2nd Samuel 6:10-12
10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.
12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.
Message
When Moses tenaciously requested that the presence of the Almighty God should follow them in their journey to the Promised Land, he knew what he was doing (Exodus 33:14-16).
Many children of God don’t value the presence of God, and so they don’t bother to ensure that they are in His presence or that He is present in their situations. The proof of this observation can be seen in what some so-called children of God do in supposedly secret places. If such people had formed the habit of craving God’s presence wherever they go, they would not indulge in such things. Nobody would steal or fornicate if he or she desires or carries God’s presence wherever he or she might be.
From today’s Bible reading, the signs of God’s presence in the household of Obed-Edom were apparent. David, out of fear of death, rejected the presence of the Lord symbolised by the Ark of the Covenant, because Uzzah died suddenly when he erroneously touched it.
An adage in my native tongue says: “Cutting off the head is not the right cure for a headache.” This was exactly what David did; he rejected the presence of the Lord instead of finding out how to behave in God’s presence. A lot of people don’t want to come to Church because they feel sad whenever they come. They feel sad because the pastor makes them feel guilty by his sermons! Such people don’t know what they are missing when they run away from God’s presence. Psalm 16:11 says:
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Three months after David had shunned the presence of the Lord as represented by the Ark, God had so blessed the house of Obed-Edom who accepted the Ark, that David himself heard about it. David then realised his folly in rejecting the presence of the Lord. The Bible in 2 Samuel 6:12 says:
“And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.”
When I encourage some of my children to surrender their houses for use as House fellowship meeting points, some do not realise that I’m only trying to bring God presence into their homes for blessings and protection. God will not allow evil in any house being used as a meeting place for His praise. I pray that God’s presence shall be upon you and you will rejoice in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point:
Father, just like you did for Moses, let Your presence follow me all the days of my life in Jesus’ Name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 SAMUEL 15:16 and MARK 6:30-52