ONCE I WAS BLIND .

 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. JOHN 9 : 25.

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.

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 is a category of people that God is counting on to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the world. We can see how powerful the testimony of a witness could be in our Bible reading today. In Matthew 5 : 14, Jesus declared all followers of Jesus as the light of the world and He went further in Matthew 5 : 16 to say :

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

We are therefore called to be witnesses to the Power of God in our lives, sharing the testimony of His saving Power, Goodness, Mercy, Faithfulness, Love, Blessing, and the Miracles with the people of the world. 1 John 1 : 5 says :

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

Many perpetually live in darkness without the hope of deliverance; many are in bondage to sin, sickness, poverty, and lustful desires. God is counting on you to share the testimony of your salvation, healing, deliverance, and victory over demonic powers with somebody today. As you begin to share your experience from today, God will turn you to a mighty beam of light that will shine into the kingdom of darkness to liberate souls that are in bondage in the Mighty Name of Jesus.

Testifying to the Glory of God is not only beneficial to others; it also provides an opportunity to destroy the stronghold of the devil in your life. Revelation 12 : 11 says :

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony."

One sure way of repelling those who want to drag you into sin is by confronting them with the light of the Gospel. Also, when light shines in a dark environment, all secret activities will be exposed. Do you know that it is possible for you to know the secret thoughts and plans of your enemies before their implementation? To do this, let the light of God's Word shine in your heart and be full of the Holy Spirit. There is hardly anything that takes place on earth without God first revealing it to one of His confidants ( Psalms 25 : 14 ).
In addition, when light comes, it propels you into action. Not many people want to perform brain tasking assignments when it is dark. If you allow the light of Jesus to shine in your heart, you will be supernaturally propelled to pick up your lost destiny and fulfill it. So, arise and shine, let your light shine bright in the dark places of the earth, share your testimony, let the whole world see what the Lord has done for you.

PRAYER POINT : Father, please give me a voice; let the whole world hear my testimony very soon.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : LEVITICUS 22 : 17 - 24 : 16 AND PSALMS 133 - 134.

WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS

 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21

Read: Matthew 6:19-21

6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

MESSAGE

Treasures are highly valued objects or accumulated riches. Physical treasure has at best only short-term benefits and is capable of opening up the owner to various physical and spiritual dangers. However, spiritual treasure is of eternal value and comes from knowing and serving God. The Bible encourages Christians to save for the future and expects good parents to keep an inheritance for their children. It is also desirable to invest wisely. By the special grace of God, these processes could lead to a huge accumulation of wealth. The focus however is not the wealth but the mindset and attitude of the owner. Matthew 6:20 says,
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

The problem is that wealthy people are familiar with how to make earthly investment and acquire earthly treasures, but only a few of them have the understanding of what it means to layup treasures in Heaven or how to go about it. The Bible recorded an encounter between Jesus and a very rich ruler with a similar challenge in Luke 18:15-25. Luke 18:22 says,
“Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven….”

The solution that Jesus offered is simple, if you want to have treasures in Heaven and you have earthly wealth, sow a bulk of it into the lives of the poor. If you go the extra mile to enrich the poor, you will have treasures in Heaven. Your wealth or possessions on their own are worth nothing to God, except they are converted into something of value that promotes the work of God, or affects the lives of others for good. If you use your wealth to promote the gospel or you meet needs with it, you will reap the harvests in Heaven because the principle of sowing and reaping applies there. Way to be rich in Heaven is to be rich in good works (1 Timothy 6:16). Use your wealth to better other people’s life, no rich Christian Brother or Sister has a reason to be poor in Heaven. No poor believer should also be poor in Heaven. You are the one to take the decision that will positively impact your eternity. Invest in the work of God by promoting the Gospel and sow bountifully into the lives of the poor.

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me lay up heavenly treasure more than earthly treasure.

THE ANOINTING MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.

 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. ACTS 10 : 38.

READ : MATTHEW 17 : 14 - 21:

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

MESSAGE :

The word ‘anointing’ is often used in the Old Testament in recognition of the Lord’s divine calling upon the lives of individuals. In addition, the anointing was a physical recognition of the particular role or office of people such as kings, prophets, or priests.

However, the anointing in the New Testament is not limited to prophets and priests, it is birthright of every born again child of God. In Mark 6 : 7, Jesus gave power over unclean spirits to His disciples. In Luke 9 : 1, He gave them power to cure diseases, and in Luke 10:19, He gave them power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. I once told my spiritual children that the new anointing is so powerful, that it can repeat whatever it has done for your spiritual fathers. It can re-open closed doors and turn the mocked into a celebrity. In 1 Samuel 16 : 11 - 13, when Samuel came to the house of Jesse while shopping for a kingly candidate, nobody presented David. It was until Samuel specifically asked for him that he was summoned. But after David was anointed in 1 Samuel 22 : 1 - 2, the same brothers who saw nothing good in him came to submit themselves under his authority. Have people written you off as a nobody? Do they deny you your rights and consider you unfit for any meaningful position? The anointing of God will reverse that situation in your life this season in Jesus’ name. You will be sought after. You will be transformed into a very important personality by the anointing.

Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 12 : 7 says :

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”

The above verse shows that God’s anointing is not for flamboyance, globetrotting, or to be made merchandise of. On the contrary, the anointing is for making a difference in this evil world by living in holiness and righteousness, healing the sick, setting the captives free, making the barren fruitful, replacing sorrow with the joy and moving the impoverished into prosperity so that the Name of the Lord may be glorified. To what extent does the anointing on you impact those in need of it? To what extent are you making a difference in your community?

PRAYER POINT : Father, wake me up to my responsibility of making a real difference in this world.

LYING NOT A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE.

 A lying tongue hateth those that are affiliated by it; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin. PROVERBS 26 : 28.

READ : EPHESIANS 4 : 22 - 25 :

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

MESSAGE :

Today, we are revisiting a previous discussion on a deadly sin that has been trivialized in modern times. Indeed, lying is not a Christian virtue; on the contrary, one of the fruits of righteousness is the hatred of lies. Today, the world has classified lies. Some are called heavy lies, some feather weight lies, some are white lies, some are green lies, some are business lies, some are ministerial lies; some are lies that cannot hurt a fly, while some are dangerous and implicating lies. No matter how men, by their own opinions, choose to classify lies, deciding what a lie is, is not in the purview of men but of God; hence such classifications hold no water. If you are a lover of lies, you are far from being righteous. If you tell lies at all, you are miles from being righteous. Do you know that if you keep away from sin and the only crime found in you after death is a lie, it will keep you from entering through the pearly gates? Revelations 21 : 8 says that all categories of liars will be found in the lake of fire, not in Heaven :

“And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the lamb’s book of life.”

Nothing can ever take anyone in the above categories into Heaven. If you are a lying leader, you are simply on your way to hell. A righteous fellow cannot stand lies because he or she is a chip off the old block; a child of truth whose father is the Truth ( Revelation 19 : 11 - 16 ), in John 8 : 44, Jesus says that the devil is a liar and the father of all liars. If you are a General Overseer or superintendent, a senior pastor or believer and you tell lies, your father is the devil. A day is coming when everybody will go back to their father. After death, the devil will stand in the way to claim his own. He will ask some popular leaders and believers; “Where are you going?” they will reply: “I am going to Heaven of course”. The devil will laugh them to scorn. “Did you not read that all liars will go to hell in Revelations 21 : 8 ? You are my child, come with me to the lake of fire, our eternal abode”. Make restitution on the lies you have told. Have you offered some people some benefits in a business transaction and you received the payment, but for one reason or the other, you did not give them what you promised? Go and return their money or else that lie and deceit will not allow you into Heaven.

PRAYER POINT : Father, please deliver me from any sin that can prevent me from entering into Heaven.

THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH

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

2 Timothy 4:7

Read: 1 Timothy 6:11-14

6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

MESSAGE

The basis for all spiritual warfare can be explained as the opposition or hostility between light and darkness. Darkness is associated with blindness, emptiness, uncertainty, inactivity, stagnancy, ignorance, failure, wickedness, fear and evil. Darkness was the dominant authority over the universe in the beginning, and this was evidently the status quo at the time of creation in Genesis 1:1. Then God said let there be light and there was light. Light is a very powerful force. When there is light, darkness has no choice but to disappear. John 1:5 says,
"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

However, the truth is, not all light can outshine darkness. For instance, Genesis 1 talks of categories of light.
"And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also." Genesis 1:16

There are lights of the sun, moon and stars. Then there are man-made lights of varying sizes. If you put on a tiny torch in the midst of total darkness, you will only see the spot the torch is pointing at. Everywhere else will be surrounded by darkness. The size of a light determines the area it will dominate or rule over. The sun rules over the day because it is far brighter than the moon. If the moon were to replace the sun during the day, there would be darkness during the day. Similarly, if you bring the sun to replace the moon during the night time, the night will turn into day. This tells us that what determines the result of a situation is the amount of light it is exposed to. This means that exposing varying degrees of light on the same situation will give you different results. The volume of the light of God's Word that you are exposed to will determine the degree of the change you will experience.

The intensity and size of God's light in you will determine your sphere of domination. Although, God has commanded you to dominate everything, the actual scope of your dominance will be determined by the amount of God's Word that is in you. The Word is the light of the world. If you lack the Word, you lack the light that gives definition to your ability to dominate. As you increase your Word content, you enlarge your coast. Staying away from the Word automatically reduces you glow and ultimately your ability to control forces, situations and circumstances. On the other hand, the moment you stop shinning as light, darkness will swallow you up. If you want to be victorious over forces of darkness, you should daily expose yourself to the light from God's Word. The Word is the sword of the Spirit and the chief weapon of our warfare as Christians.

Prayer Point:

Father, please baptize me in the pool of Your Word today in Jesus' name.

A MESSENGER WITH A MESSAGE

 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! - Romas 10:15

Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

MESSAGE :

The whole of the Bible and everything about Christianity is summed up in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ arises naturally from believers' love for God and the appreciation of all that He has done for us, is known as evangelism.

The New Testament Bible stresses the importance of evangelism, and provides important guidance as to how it should be done. Matthew 28:19 spells out the great commission.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"

The focus on envangelism is the proclamation of the good news of the coming of the Kingdom of God, including forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Daniel 10:6, describes the perculiar features of the original messenger (Jesus Christ) as follows:
"His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude".

The fiery face and the fire in His eyes represents the countenance of a no nonsense Judge, the voice of a multitude symbolizes peoples, nations, and languages of the world. There is no place on the surface of the earth where His message will not be heard. Another thing the passage talks about is the Lord's feet, how they appear like brass when on fire. Brass signifies strength. Jesus feet are said to be polished brass. This indicates that His feet are empowered to trample upon His enemies.

If you are truly located in your place of authority in Christ Jesus, the only place your enemies can be is under your feet. Like Jesus, your feet need to be empowered so that when you trample on serpents and scorpions, you will not be hurt. To do this, you must empower your feet as God's messenger with evangelism. Every soul you win for God's Kingdom turns your feet to be as strong as the Lord's so that you can easily have victory over your enemies.

How many souls have you won to the Lord since the year began?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, please make me an effective soul winner in Jesus' name.

PRAYING OR MURMURING.

 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. JAMES 4 : 2.

READ : LUKE 15 : 25 - 32 :

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

MESSAGE :

In Christianity, prayer is generally defined as a solemn request for divine intervention or an expression of thanksgiving addressed to the Almighty God. It is therefore clear that prayer is not synonymous with murmuring, protest, demand, or complains. A proper understanding of the art of prayer and the type of prayer that brings result is very important in Christianity.

Let's consider some biblical examples of prayer. While describing the way he prayed under a particular circumstance, the Psalmist in Psalms 42 : 4 says he poured out his soul to God. The phrase, "I pour out my soul" describes the soul like it is liquid. Depending on the situation, some prayers can take on a casual form while others may wear a garb of seriousness. The intensity of your thanksgiving prayer will differ in a case where you experienced a hitch-free trip compared to when you met with several difficulties during the trip but eventually arrived safely. The Psalmist in Psalms 130 : 1 - 2 talks of calling unto God out of the deep. Somebody said that this was Jonah's prayer in the belly of the fish. When there is no imminent danger, and you are in the comfort of your air-conditioned bedroom praying, that kind of prayer will be sweet, smooth and leisure-like. But the one in the belly of a fish such as Jonah's case would definitely be different. Jonah would have been very aggressive and desperate and must have prayed like a drowning man.

In 1 Samuel 1 : 13 - 18, when Hannah was praying, only her lips moved. Some people have used this as an excuse to engage in silent prayers. But the truth is, although she was not making a sound, it does not mean that she was not praying aggressively. We could compare this to a situation where an eight-day-old baby boy is circumcised and he is in pains. He cries out in agony and he continues to cry until his voice pales out, yet he will continue crying. Hannah must have cried to the extent of losing her voice. There is an extent to which you will pray and you will realize that you have gotten God's attention. What kind of prayer takes place in your family? How desperate are you? If you can pour out your heart to the Lord without being so mindful of grammar or who may be nearby, or who is looking or not looking at you, you will get His attention.

At the end of the day, what is important is getting answers to prayers and not whether you appear to men as being prayerful. I have often stated that whatever progress and achievements are visible in the RCCG today; they are by the grace of God and the prayers of the saints. As you engage Heaven in aggressive prayers this season, you will receive divine attention in Jesus' name. Call on Him!

PRAYER POINT : Father please, teach me to pray genuinely from today in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : LEVITICUS 8 - 9 AND PSALMS 119 : 161 - 172.

ARE PERILOUS TIME HERE?

THIS know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 Timothy 3:1

Read : 2 Timothy 3:1-5

1 THIS know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Message

Several passages of the Bible describe the prevailing atmosphere of the period now as 'perilous times' .The Bible reading for today, gives some important details about event that will surround the arrival of this period. This period is going to be the final epoch or history , marked by the coming of Messiah and the establishment of God's Kingdom. The Bible tends to tie the terms 'last days' and 'perilous time' together, pointing to the period between Jesus Christ's first coming and the consummation of all things at His return.

Thus period will also be marked by increased godlessness, false prophets, doctrine of devils, persecution, wickedness, war and apostasy. Are perilous time here? The Bible says truth will be watered down and sound doctrine will be replaced with fables. In church at Ephesus as recorded in Revelation 2:1-7, the Lord singled out a sect within its walls which beloved and preached that holiness was no more truly possible.

These were the Nicolaitans and the Lord said He hated them. Can the Lord hate those who claim to be His followers? This may be surprising, but the Lord hates every preacher and teacher or false doctrines. This is a warning for those in the teaching ministry systematically veering off the path of sound doctrine. Teaching cunningly devised fables and philosophies of men. Be very conscious of what comes out of your mouth. Cross check facts and perceived revelations with the Holy Spirit so that you may not lead any astray. The Lord hate false preachers. Anyone who teaches you that you can continue to sin, since after all we are human beings, and will still make Heaven, is heading for hell and wants to take you along. Watch out brethren, perilous times are here! People will deny the power of God, meaning that there will be widespread practical atheists. You will hear some say things like; God is not as wicked as to fry His children in fire for minor sins and so there is no hell fire', some also say that salvation is by what you are able to do; by works.

Idolatry is being openly practiced in some churches today because somebody spoke against Exodus 20:1-5, proposing that there is nothing wrong in making images of God, Jesus, Mary and the apostles and using them to connect to God. Backslidden pastors, ministers or workers are teaching false doctrines of mercy that is contrary to Romans 6:1-2. All these are taking people to hell in their millions. In what ways are your actions contradicting your teachings and messages? Such contradictions turn you into a false preacher!

Prayer point :

Father, please don't let the dangers of this perilous times sweep my feet away in Jesus name.

BIBLE ON ONE YEAR : Leviticus 4:1-5:13 and Psalms 119:129-144

PROOF OF LOVE.

 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. JOHN 15 : 13.

READ : JOHN 21 : 15 - 19 :

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

MESSAGE :

The Bible teaches Christians to love God. The Bible also teaches that such love should be expressed in worship and practical service. One of the most important lessons that the Bible teaches on love is that love is unconditional, and that the ultimate test of love is sacrifice. Therefore, any declaration of love that is devoid of sacrifice is questionable. The Bible strongly in agreement with the fact that Love is sacrificial.

"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."

When you are genuinely in love, making sacrifices for the one you love will be a thing of pleasure and not a burden. Jacob was in love with Rachel and asked her father what he must do to marry her. Rachel's father told him to serve for seven years and he willingly did so. Because of love, seven years where like seven days to him. When he was delivered, he yet agreed to serve another seven years for his heartthrob ( Genesis 29 : 18 - 28 ). No price is too much to pay for the one you love. If you truly love your wife, you will pay the price of faithfulness in the midst of pressure to be unfaithful to her in your work place, or even in the ministry. Some husbands are yet to demonstrate their love for their wives by sacrificially giving to her. If your relationship with your wife is all about convenience- you do things for her only when it is convenient, then you owe your wife big time. Wives of such husbands should demand of their husbands the debt of sacrifice.

Sacrifice helps to gauge your Love for God. We can say God loves us exceedingly because He was prepared to part with His only begotten son. If you say you love God, you will be ready, like Paul was, to spend and be spent for Him. Some questions I often asked people are; can you serve the Lord for 14yrs without pay? Can you serve the Lord on the rural areas with no social amenities? Can you serve under an uneducated man of God when you are well educated? Can you leave certainty for uncertainty in the name of vision and revelation? What do you have to show for your love for God? Where is the Sacrifice in relationship with the Lord?

PRAYER POINT : Father, please help me to fully appreciate Your sacrificial love to me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : LEVITICUS 1 - 3 AND PSALMS 119 : 113 - 128.

SIGNS OF THE LAST DAYS.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. MATHEW 24 : 11.

READ : 1 TIMOTHY 4 : 1 - 2 :

1 NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

MESSAGE :

The Bible tells us about the things that will happen to mark the end of this world and the beginning of eternal life. Beginning with the rapture, there will be extreme joy for those that will be found on the Lords side, while there will be extreme pain and sorrow for those that will be found on the devils side. As the curtain begins to be drawn over the activities of this world, the trumpet will sound. Then, Jesus Christ will appear physically in the sky with overwhelming glory, to raise the dead, judge the world, destroy opposition to God, and consummate His everlasting kingdom. Believers form the Bible says prepared for His return, waiting with eagerness and joy, but rapture didn't happen. It was with this in mind that the disciples ask Jesus questions about what would be the signs of the last days in Mathew 24 : 3:" the disciples come unto him privately, saying,Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

The same two important questions that whole world still asks till date are; when shall there things be? What shall be the signs? Fortunately, the Bible does it beat round the bush about the first question ( when),Jesus clearly states that nobody knows exact time except the Father. Note the Jesus preceded the answer with warning, 'Take grass that no man deceived you'. Never believe anyone that gives you a date or timetable for the second Coming of Jesus, no matter how advance the mathematical theory may seem. Jesus however, spoke extensively on the signs of the last days; the Bible has enough information to help Christians make adequate preparations for the second coming of Christ. Mathew 24 : 1 - 5 speaks volumes and 1 Timothy 4 : 1 says :

"NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"

The key things to look out for are there; false prophets, lovers of self, wars and rumours of war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, persecution, betrayal, iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold, some shall depart from the faith, seducing spirits, doctrines of devils,hypocrisy. All these are presently happening hat an alarming rate all over the world. Children of God should pay special attention to false prophets with teachings that are contrary to the Word of God. Any teach in that cannot be substantiated with the Bible belongs to the devil; avoid them and their messages like a plague. Be warned.

PRAYER POINT : Lord Jesus. Please send the fire of revival to keep me burning for you till Your Second Coming.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : EXODUS 38 : 21 - 40 : 38 AND PSALMS 119 : 97 - 112.

REJECTED OF THE LORD?

 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.- Psalms 51:11

Read: Proverbs 1:24-29

1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

MESSAGE :

Rejection is a terrible form of punishment that God sometimes uses to call the attention of His backslidden children to quit their sins and immoralities. Therefore, experiences and feelings of rejection are to be dealt with through the prayer of forgiveness and perseverance.

In many cases in the Bible, God’s rejection came as a shock because everything seemed normal until a sudden calamity struck as a result of the departure of God’s Presence. Such was the case with Samson and the nation of Israel. The reality of God’s rejection dawned on them by the terrible defeats that they suffered in the hands of their enemy. Judges 16:20 says:

“And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.”

All houses appear to have strong foundations until they go through the test of storms. In Matthew 7:24-27, the Lord talked of two houses; one built on the rock and the other on sand. Both appeared quite strong and promising until the floods came, one collapsed while the other stood firm. Do not wait till the day of the storm to discover your status with God, check yourself today and do everything possible to reconcile with God if need be.

In the same vein, all children are the same until they commit an offence. While the bona fide ones are immediately corrected and disciplined, the bastards are left on their own. A child left to himself is doomed. If God does not correct you for wrong speech, reaction and conduct, it simply means He is not your Father! When last did God cane you for wrong doing? May you never be above correction!

That God calls you does not mean He cannot call you something else. As our Creator, He has that right. Matthew 15:21-28 says,

“the children’s bread shall not be given to dogs”

and Revelation 22:15 says :

“dogs have a place outside”.

This means that no matter how much a dog is loved, sooner or later, it will end up outside and the gate of Heaven will be shut against it.

Do you feel as if the gates of Heavens are shut against you? Do you feel as if you are shut out of God’s blessings? It could mean that you are a ‘dog’. Why not accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour today? Why not reconcile with your Maker?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, please, cast me not away from Your Presence in the Name of Jesus.

BETHEL: HEAVEN’S GATE

And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el. Genesis 35:15

Read: Genesis 35:1-7 (KJV)

1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.

7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

MESSAGE

Bethel is the house of God, a place where God dwelled with His people. Over time, the Bible redefined the true place of worship to be the heart of man. Today therefore, Bethel could be said to represent the house of God, the true place of worship, or the dwelling place of God. The Samaritan woman by the well asked a million-dollar question from Jesus about the location of the heavenly approved place of worship. Jesus answered by saying that the time has come when the location is not of utmost importance to God anymore. John 4:23 says:

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

The realization that man is the dwelling place of God should be taken seriously by every Christian. Several passages in the Bible confirm this truth. 1st Corinthians 6:19 says:

“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?”

The freedom and liberty granted to Christians at conversion does not translate to ownership and absolute authority over ourselves as some erroneously think. Brethren, you are not your own, you belong to God your creator, you owe your allegiance to Him and you will do well to live your life with that consciousness. This will help you to be conscious of what you do with your body. It will help you to avoid anything that could abuse the body such as sexual immorality, indecent exposure, drug abuse, alcoholism, etc. it will also help you to watch what you consume or take into your body such as literature, audio and video contents. Realizing that your body is the temple of God will also affect the type of company that you keep and where you go.
More importantly, 1st Corinthians 3:17 says:

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

Children of God should avoid doing anything that can defile them. In addition to the things mentioned above, engaging in any form of cosmetic reconstruction of the body in order to change or improve one’s complexion, sexual orientation, or appearance, is a defilement of God’s temple.

Prayer Point:

Father, please let Your fire wake me up to my responsibility in Christ.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Exodus 30:22-33:6 and Psalms 119:49-64

IT IS TIME TO OVERFLOW II

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 JOHN 

1 : 2.

READ : EXODUS 23 : 25 :

25 And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

MESSAGE :

From our Bible reading for today, we see a positive relationship between our service to God, what we eat and our health. Christians are supposed to overflow in health, so much that when we touch sick people, they become healed.

Many Christians joke with their service to God, no wonder they fall sick. I thank God and give Him all glory for my life; ever since I sold myself out to the service of God, He has been my only Doctor. I remember vividly well how I used to battle with malaria helplessly, until one day when I decided to enter into an agreement with God, I told Him to heal me of malaria permanently and I will serve Him, and malaria has been a stranger to me since then. When you serve God wholeheartedly, He will ensure that no sickness stays in your body.

Another reason why some Christians are sick is because of what they eat. Our Bible reading for today says that God will bless your food and water and you will not fall sick, but many don’t ask God to bless their food before eating it. Also, God cannot bless what He has not approved of. Our Body is His temple, and anything that can destroy His temple is not approved by Him. We must keep away from junk food, over eating, unhealthy eating habits and the likes. God does not approve of food or drinks that are injurious to our health. Eat more of fresh vegetables and fruits. Eat the right quantity at the right time of the day. Stop overeating. Stay fit, exercise regularly. Some Christians quote Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 4 : 8.

“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

Yes it is true that bodily exercise profits a little, however, that little must not be done away with. We must take care of God’s temple so that it can be available for Him to use when He needs it.

KEY POINT : Pay attention to your health, God prefers you healthy than sick.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : EXODUS 29 : 1 - 30 : 21 AND PSALMS 119 : 33 - 48.

IT IS TIME TO OVERFLOW (I)

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3rd John 1:2

Read: 2nd Samuel 6:10-12 (KJV)

10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

12 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.

MESSAGE

God is not a poor God, He is wealthier than we can ever imagine. He owns all the natural resources on earth, all the gases in the air and all the elements in the universe, just to mention a few. Can you imagine if scientists are able to get a tiny piece of the sun. Imagine how much they will sell it at an auction. The Almighty God owns the entire sun and all elements in the universe. A God as rich as this will definitely give His children more than enough resources to take care of their needs. He lacks nothing, so His children should lack nothing too. However, this is not the case in reality. We see many Christians these days wallowing in poverty for years, in fact, many unbelievers don’t want to become born again because they are afraid of poverty. God is not happy with this. More often than not, these Christians are the cause of their own predicament.

God in His Word has given us several instructions and principles that will guarantee our wealth, but He will not force us to practice them, we have to do them ourselves to see them manifest. For example, in Luke 6:38, Jesus Christ Himself said:

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measure to you again.”

Whenever I see Pastors trying hard to convince people to give, it hurts me, because if every Christian has the understanding of this passage, they will constantly complete to give the biggest offering. The Bible says also in Proverbs 11:24:

“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”

This implies that if you want to increase, sow seeds. Also, the second part of this verse tells us that there is a certain amount that is necessary to be withheld. Many Christians don’t save.

They eat like every day is their last day on earth. This is wrong; if we want to lend to nations like the Bible promises, then we must learn from Joseph’s strategy, he saved 20% of everything they got in Egypt, after a few years, nations from all over the world were coming to Egypt for food.

Key Point:

God’s plan for us is that we overflow in wealth, we are to control the world economy, but if we don’t read and follow His instructions, that may be impossible.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Exodus 27-28 and Psalms 119:17-32

PARENTS! LEAD THE WAY

Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Read: Psalms 127:3-5 (KJV)

3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

MESSAGE

Discipline in the family happens when parents lovingly correct and train their children in accordance with the Word of God, so that they may grow up in the way of the Lord. The type of relationship that exists between parents and their children determines whether the children will be disciplined or not. When a servant misbehaves, you may ignore his offence but when a son or daughter commits the same offence, they should not get away with it. God.

It is the goal of every reasonable parent to ensure that their children are better versions of themselves. On the other hand, some parents are extreme; they don’t discipline, but crush their children. Being high-handed is applying discipline the other way round. Matthew 5:48 says, we should be as perfect as our Heavenly Father; God wants us to be as good as Himself. Jesus, the Prince of Peace wants us to be even better; hence, He says we will do greater works than He did. My joy as the General Overseer of the RCCG is in seeing my spiritual children excel and achieve greater heights than myself. I decree into the lives of everyone using this devotional right now, you will excel in all that you lay your hands on and you will achieve greater heights than myself in Jesus’ name.

Meanwhile, children are naturally naughty, that is why Proverbs 22:15 says:

“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”

Since Adam’s fall, this has been the trend. You do not need to teach a child to be angry before he or she manifests it, even at infancy. It is innate. So when a father wants his child to become like him, he would have to employ his rod of correction. How often do you correct your children? Proverbs 29:15 says any child left to himself will bring shame to the parents and Proverbs 29:17 says the child that is disciplined will give joy and peace to the parents.

Don’t over pamper your children. Don’t spoil them by using love as an excuse. Many ladies do not know how to cook or handle domestic chores because their parents left everything to the house-help. You are undoing your children if you deny them good home training and discipline. You owe it to your children to discipline them. If you fail to give it to them, the result of their indiscipline will haunt you here on earth and you will have a case to answer in heaven.

Prayer Point:

Father, please don’t let me disappoint You over my children in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Exodus 25-26 and Psalms 119:1-16

DON’T BURY YOUR TALENT

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6

Read: Matthew 25:24-29 (KJV)

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

MESSAGE

God ordained seedtime and harvest not just to mark time, but as a life principle. He also gave varying degrees of talents to every human being as a form of heavenly investment. Consequently, every legitimate human task, however menial it may seem, is of intrinsic worth and a potential means of glorifying God.

God expects us to use our God-given talents and abilities profitably. I once told my children that if they understand the natural farming process with the scriptural principles on sowing and reaping, entering into their harvest will be a work-over, because they will know what to sow, how to sow it and how to water the seed sown in order to have their desired harvest. In essence, they will know how to profitably use their talents for the progress of God’s kingdom. When the Holy Ghost Service congregation grew beyond what I could handle all by myself, I chose seven elders to assist me. I gave each of them a neck tie I had used during previous ministrations, and asked them to wear them as mantle from me. Each time they wore them while ministering, there were records of miracles, signs and wonders. But then, I also observed that I began to harvest neckties from close associates and friends who travelled to South Africa, London or America. I became curious about the fact that whenever anyone brought me a gift, it was a neck tie. So I asked God why. The Lord said; “Son, if you sow ties, you will reap ties.” Then I realised that I was receiving the harvest of the ties I gave out. So I began to sow shoes to pastors who shared the same shoe size with me. After giving out several of them, some of which were my best, I waited the first and second months but no shoe gift came from anywhere. Worried over the delay, I asked God why the harvest was yet to come and He taught me another lesson. He said; “Son, if you plant maize, you can harvest it within three months, but if you plant yam, you will have to wait a little longer. Shoes are more valuable than ties; the greater the quality of the seed you have sown, the longer you will have to wait for its harvest. Since you have planted shoes, you will have to wait a little longer, but the moment the harvest begins, it will not stop.”

When the harvest came, I got shoes of different sizes, colours and levels of sophistication. Have you sown a seed? Your harvest will come. If you have sown quality seeds, give it time to mature, if you are impatient with your seed, you cannot obtain its full potentials. On the other hand, sow quality seeds; sow only what you want to reap. It is wrong to expect a harvest from where you have not sown. Have you sown towards your desired harvest?

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me sow towards my desired harvest.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 20:1-22:15 and Psalms 117

DEALING WITH UNCLEAN SPIRITS

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

Read: Matthew 10:1

10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

MESSAGE

Demons are fallen angels that were driven out of heaven because of their rebellious acts. The Bible presents demons as the authentic source of every manner of immorality in this world. Also, demons are the foot soldiers that the devil uses to steal, kill, devour and wreck all manner of evil against humanity. I pray that you will not become an easy prey to the devil and his demons in the Name of Jesus.

However, demons were subject to the authority of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and subsequently in the ministry of the Church. Demons and idols bow in the Presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God’s Presence in Jesus Christ and his disciples, and they surrendered without argument. I have always told my spiritual children that if we have enough of His Presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go out. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious, heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word. It is very easy to cast out demons when your life is full of God’s glory. When Jesus came to earth, He brought with Him the glory and dominion of Heaven. Consequently, if demons see that same glory of God in you, they will have no choice but to submit to the King of Glory whose Presence you carry.

Until you carry a higher level of His Presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His Presence in your life, there will be commotions, because demons recognize the Presence of God and they won’t be at rest. Even in the church, while God’s anointed Word is being taught in power, demons will not be able to withstand that power. One day, Paul and is co-labourers in God’s vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God's Presence. If only you carry a higher level of His Presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His Presence upon you.

Prayer Point:

Father, please baptize me with Your power today in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Exodus 15-16
Psalms 115