The Legacy of Peace

Thursday 31 August
READ: Mk. 4:35-41 
MORE LESSON:  Num.25:12-13

Peace is not the absence of conflict or trouble, but the ability to cope with it. Therefore, one can have peace in the midst of trouble. Isa. 26:3-4, says,Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.... In other words, a believer can experience peace on a daily basis as he fellowships with God through the Word and prayer. We need peace of mind to be able to do many things in life as a disturbed man cannot achieve much, try as he may. So, peace is a great asset to a believer. And because of the importance of peace, Jesus came as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). This means He is the one who removes all peace disturbing factors and secures peace for those who trust in Him. Jesus came into this world bearing this name so that mankind can be free from restlessness and torment of fear. Once a man is in Christ Jesus, he begins to enjoy peace because Jesus brings peace wherever He rules. Is Jesus ruling your heart and mind? Then you have eternal peace that cannot be taken away by circumstances.

Moreover, when Jesus was going He left for us a legacy of peace,  ...my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you...: Jn. 14:27. However, Satan has stolen the peace of many believers and introduced anti-peace habits and situations into their lives without their knowledge. Murmur, complain, doubt, worry, anger, strife, e.t.c. are anti-peace; Paul calls them the middle wall of separation (Eph. 2:14). Rather than fret, hand over the control of your heart and mind to the Prince of Peace and He will bring abundant peace into your heart; life will begin to unfold as you desire.

Jesus our Lord Himself once had a restless situation around Him while on a mission. The sea suddenly became stormy! The disciples did all they could but couldn't stop the storm. Then they called on The Master who at that time was fast asleep in the boat. The same storm that was troubling the disciples was simply rocking Jesus to a sweet sleep. Rather than fret, Jesus woke up to rebuke the storm and the wind, and instantly peace returned. Thus Jesus left us with the legacy of peace; He left us with the assurance that our peace can be challenged but cannot be taken. Also, that whenever our peace is challenged we should not fret but face the storm and speak to it. The sea will surely obey the Master, if only you can speak to it rather than panic at it.

Prayer/Action
* Lord God set Your peace as guard over my heart, in Jesus' name.
* nGod keep my heart in perfect peace, not regarding the turbulent situation  around me, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that the peace of God will reign in all circumstances that confront you in life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
God of all goodness, thank You for the month of August and the remaining greater months ahead, in the name of Jesus.

A Word in Season

Wednesday 30 August
READ: Isa. 50:4
MORE LESSON: Prov. 15:22-23

Words are very powerful; they can make or break a man. At the point of hearing a word, a man can either be defeated or encouraged. Words are spoken to frighten an enemy at war. When David confronted Goliath, it was not first about fighting; it was about exchange of words (I Sam. 17:43-46). Spoken words can even make nations go to war; such is the power of words.

Much as words can lead to fighting and war, well spoken words can bring peace, encouragement and uplifting. When you have the tongue of the learned, you know how to speak a word to encourage the weary. In life's journey everyone is weary at one time or the other. Those that are weary need words of encouragement, and God is counting on those with the tongue of the learned to encourage the weary in order for them to come out of weariness.
Unfortunately, some people don't have what it takes to encourage people that are downcast, so they complicate the matter. That was the case with the three friends of Job in the Bible. They spoke so many words to Job, but none of them told their friend about the God who gives a song in the night (Job 35:9-10). All their words were spoken out of season. The Bible says, A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver: Prov. 25:11. You can create a wonderful world around people by speaking correctly into their lives. Instead of being critical and judgmental, it is possible to paint a beautiful picture that brings people out of trouble. As you go out today, make up your mind to be a blessing to someone by the way you speak;
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man: Col. 4:6. The Message translation says, Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out: Col. 4:6.
That says it all: as God's children our words must raise people up, strengthen and give them hope. We must not be accusers of the brethren nor help Satan in the ministry of killing and destroying. We must watch our tongue that it does not bring out both sweet and bitter water at the same time;
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Jam. 3:10-11.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for the tongue of the learned to always be a blessing.
* I Pray that my words will be seasoned with salt and give grace to all that hear me, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to put the Word of life in your mouth to give life to all that hear you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I draw the goodness of God from this day and I shut out every hellish preparation, in the name of Jesus.

Faith and Patience

Tuesday 29 August
READ: Heb. 6:12
MORE LESSONS: Heb. 6:13-15

The dictionary defines patience as the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset. It is the ability to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties. Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit as listed in Gal. 5: 22. Another word used in the Scripture for patience is longsuffering; so patience means to be long spirited, that is, being able to forebear. The word also connotes the tone of being cheerful or hopeful in forbearance and endurance. Patience is endurance that is characterised by cheerfulness during the period of waiting or in the face of difficulties. Faith is the requirement accessing salvation and other things from God; so every believer has a measure of faith, at least, sufficient to get him saved.
Many believers know that with faith, we can possess what we want but their understanding of faith is incomplete. Patience is what completes faith. The proof that you believe God is that you wait for Him, ...he that believeth shall not make haste: Isa. 28:16. Nowadays, people say if it is truly faith, then it must happen right now. But the Scripture makes us to understand that, Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing: James 1:3-4. Patience is a test of faith. How long you are willing to wait shows how much you believe.
When God gives a promise and it has not materialised, the person without faith will quickly go out and explore alternatives while the man of faith will keep waiting on God because he knows that God will unfailingly come around for him.
Searching through the Scripture, you will discover that the words 'faith' and 'patience' appear together most of the time because faith without patience is incomplete. Abraham, the hero of faith, was also renowned for his patience as he waited on God for years till God fulfilled the promise made to him, And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise: Heb. 6:15. One thing proves that your faith has patience, it is praise. While you wait on God patiently, keep thanksgiving and praise to God running in your life. This will always provoke God for you and keep the devil far. Abraham did just that and it worked for him. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: Rom. 4:20.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you patiently wait on Him, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Pray that as you patiently wait on the Lord you shall not be ashamed, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that God will attend to all who are waiting upon Him for one thing or the other, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today is a great day for me, I see Satan fall like lightning, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Leaders and Followers

Monday 28 August
READ: 1 Sam. 12:19-23
MORE LESSONS: Jn. 21:1-17

Beloved, the exemplary leadership skill of Samuel when the Israelites asked for a king is striking. Although God and Samuel were greatly displeased with the request of Israel for a king, Samuel the leader restrained his anger and continued to plead before God for the people. In asking for a king, the people had rejected Samuel's children (who should take over from him) because of their sinful lives, and by implication, Samuel. They said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations: 1 Sam. 8:5. Yet Samuel said, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you…: 1 Sam. 12:23. That is exemplary leadership.
When the followership misbehave or are ignorant, leadership should continue to do what Samuel did: (1) He continued to pray for them. (2) He vowed to continue to teach them the good and the right way. This takes a lot of grace and maturity but with prayers for our leaders, God will help everyone occupying any leadership position, beginning from the home to the church and the society, to follow this example. Today's leaders at all levels must learn never to give up on their followers, just like Samuel. Jesus our perfect example did the same. After all He did to build the disciples, as soon as He died, Peter led six of them back to the river side from where Jesus had taken them, thus going back to their old vomit (Jn. 21:3). But thank God for Jesus' love; as soon as He resurrected, He went to the river side to bring them back. When He found them, He still called them children, not bastards or backsliders.
As leaders, seek the lost even when they take wrong positions. Followers also should not make the work of their leaders difficult and must endeavour to understand the pressure that leaders go through.
One thing that breaks my heart each time I read the story of Samuel is his sons. Samuel's unparallel leadership quality over Israel was not reflected in his home. Even when the people told him to his face that his children were not like him, there was no report of his reaction to it.
The worst of it is that Samuel was a replacement of Elis’ sons, it was Samuel that God used to prophesy against Eli about his sons’ ungodly acts now he saw himself in the same trouble. All leaders should know that their home matters. Leadership should begin at home, even if you are not a leader today, yet you should build your children to be godly, we are leaders someday.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to grant you the spirit for leadership, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Pray as a leader that you will not fail in the home front, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Ask God to help you to be a faithful follower that will make the work of your leader easy, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
The load of benefits for my day will not go to another, neither will any force be able to hijack it from me, in the name of Jesus.

Obey your Parents

Sunday 27 August
READ: Eph. 6:1-3
MORE LESSON: Exo. 19:3-6

The command to obey parents is from God, therefore children must realize that it is not the parents that are demanding obedience (Eph.6:1). Whatever God demands from mankind is for their good, if they obey (Isa. 1:19 – 20, Eph. 6:2 – 3, Jer. 13: 10-11).
Every human being has parents through whom God brought him/her into the world to fulfil His purpose. A child's destiny is tied to that of his/her parents from conception all through life. This is in line with the fact that two must agree before they can walk or work together to achieve a purpose. The care given by parents during children's tender age, when they cannot even help themselves, is enormous. From childhood to adulthood, godly parents are still relevant.
Parents guide children from birth, and labour over them night and day so that they can survive and grow. They guard children from dangers (physical and spiritual, etc) and labour to meet their needs. All these sacrifices or labour by parents stem from their love for the children and for their well being. Don't bite the fingers that feed you (I Sam.12:24). It is only under demonic influence that a parent can hate or wish evil for his/her child. The example of such parents are those who sacrifice or dedicate their children to the devil.
Even when you have grown up and can fend for yourself, you are not expected to disobey your parents. You must have regard for God that gave the instruction (Eph.6:1). Obedience to parents comes with the blessing of long life from God. Even for ungodly instruction, prayerfully, politely and wisely, let them know you can not disobey the Word of God in order to obey them.
Obedience to parents is an indication of your confidence in them (Jn.12:50) and this will bring you into favour with God and man. It was Esther's obedience to Modecai that made God favour her before the king to become queen. Obedience fosters good relationship between you and your parents and siblings. Such brings love, joy, peace, unity and the blessings of God in the home (Psa. 133:1 – 3). Obedience makes them bless and not curse you. Jacob’s declarations came to pass over all his children except where God's mercy stepped in to alter the negative ones.
You may feel that your parents or leaders cannot punish you when you disobey them, but remember that God will punish all sinners except they repent (I Sam.12:15). Jesus obeyed His earthly parents: Joseph and Mary (Lk.2:46 – 52) as well as His heavenly Father (Jn. 12 : 49 – 50). Disobedience to parents is a dishonour to them. God expressly commands children to honour their parents (Eph. 6:2, Deut. 5: 16, Mal. 1: 6, Matt.15:3-6). Children, don't put your future at a risk; follow God's instructions to obey and honour your parents. When you do so, it will be well with you; and God will preserve and bless your destiny.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, help me to be obedient to my parents (physical and spiritual), in Jesus’ name.
* The spirit of disobedience will not prevail against our children, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I announce red flag for the devil over every inch of my life and family and I decree no trespass, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Help them pay Attention

Saturday 26 August
READ: Prov. 4:1-2
MORE LESSON: Prov. 23:22-26

The dictionary definition of the word ‘attention’ is listening or looking carefully; thinking about something or someone carefully. God wants mankind, including children, to pay attention to His words. For example, God had to help Moses to pay attention to His message to him in the wilderness through the fire that was burning but not consumed (Exo. 3 : 1 – 6).
The attention span of children actually varies with age. It usually increases with age, and as we teach and help them to pay attention. This must start very early. The mind of a child is believed to be like a fresh concrete blank board. But whosoever or whatsoever can get printed on it while fresh can become permanent and the focus of the child's entire life. A religious group said: “Give me a child for the first five years of his/her life and I will possess him/her for life”. Great impact can be made on children at this tender age. Parents successfully do this “early – start” educationally by registering children of about two years or less in schools. However, the same children are often considered too young to be exposed to the Word of God. It is erroneously assumed that they will not understand.
Note that it is whatever you expose them to today that will become their way of life tomorrow. You can get children's attention and they can understand God's words if you follow God's instruction in Deut. 6 : 6 – 9. This shows that it’s an “all-time-job” to pass God's commandments to children.
1. Teach them diligently and talk about the commands of God at all times: when seated at home, walking by the way, while lying down and when you rise up. Note that it is parents’ responsibility to do all these. Don't rely on children teachers or pastors - their roles are secondary.
2. Make the word visible; e.g. some on the hand and where it can be seen. What are the pictures in your living room, bedroom and all around you depicting? Do they point Jesus to children and make the place conducive for Christ to stay and be felt?
God wants you to “load” them prayerfully with the Word of God using all means, including directing and controlling their exposure to media (radio, tapes, TV, etc) and other gargets in your houses. This will help to prevent contrary information from being disseminated to them. Grown up children should be involved in Sunday School, Bible club, singing, Bible recitation/memorization competition, etc. Get them involved in family altar; encourage them to personally study the Bible and pray on their own. Make them to see the significance of the Word of God, obedience to it and a life in which Christ is the Lord.

Prayer/Action
.* Father, fill our children with the love of God and is Word, in Jesus’ name.
* Every power or force distracting our children from God and His Word be paralysed, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC
Satan, you do not own my life, I rededicate my all to Him who died for me at Calvary now and ever, in the name of Jesus.

Friend of God

Thursday 24 August
READ: John 15:1-15
MORE LESSON: John 14:23

One of the greatest and most beneficial relationships on the earth is that of man becoming a friend of God. This relationship is most beneficial because it has both earthly and eternal blessings. It is also the highest level of relationship a man can ever have, relating with the Most High God as a friend. Abraham was no doubt a friend of God and that was why God did not keep anything from him, And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do: Gen.18:17. Moses was even directly referred to in the Bible as a friend of God, And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend...: Exo. 33:11.
This great privilege is, however, not received without a condition. John 15:14 says, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Obedience, therefore, is the condition for a good relationship with God. If you want to become a personal friend of God like Abraham and Moses, then brace up for a life of total obedience to God in all things.
The starting point, however, is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour; therefore invite Him to be in total control of your life and He will come in. He says in Rev.3:20, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. That is an open invitation by the Almighty to friendship. Be a friend of God today. Only friends of God will spend eternity with God in Heaven, but His enemies shall perish in hell. Even before going to Heaven, friends of God will enjoy the cover and greatness of Heaven on earth. God will be jealous for their sake, defend them, give them silver and gold and they shall not be feeble (Psa. 105:37). They will call upon God and He will answer them, He will be with them in trouble, deliver and honour them, satisfy them with long life and, at the end, show them His salvation (Psa. 91:15-16). All these benefits and more are yours as a friend of God, so go for them.

Prayer/Action
* Renounce every friendship with the world that can make you an enemy of God, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to fill your heart with His love and grant you grace to do His command, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask that what makes a man God’s enemy will not happen to you, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
By the force of Heaven, I shift every battle of my life to the door step of the enemy, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Given Birth for Trouble?

Friday 25 August
READ: Isa. 65 : 23
MORE LESSON: Gen. 34 : 25 - 30, Prov. 19 : 26 – 27

The desire to have children can be very intense. Every grown up man/woman wants to have a home and subsequently children, and many are desperate about this. Rachael, in Gen. 30 : 1, said to Jacob; ...Give me children or else I die. Some, because of the desire for children or a particular sex have become victims of herbalists, extra-marital affair, etc. Even those who have children do all things possible to take care (physically, financially, spiritually, emotionally) of them and groom them for success in life. However, you need to note some things.
1. Children are part of the good gifts from God – they are His heritage (Psa. 127 : 3). Therefore, those that are yet to have them should rejoice (not worry) because God knows your needs and has all good things in abundance for those that love Him (1 Sam.1: 27).
2. Children are to be a source of joy and happiness (not troubles) in homes. 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: Psa. 127:5. What a blessing, joy and fulfillment!!! However, in many homes children have become the source of heartache, and diverse atrocities. Some have caused their parents hypertension, killed their parents, and siblings, wrecked family business and become devourers. Are you unhappy over any of your children? If yes, God will return their heart to you and God, in Jesus' name.
3. What becomes of these children after birth is far more important than having them. To nurture a child to adulthood is highly demanding-physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially. However, when the child grows beautifully, your heart is filled with joy because your labour is not in vain but is yielding good result.
A child may regretably not bring joy to the family if:
1.he/she turns out not to be a good and perfect child Exo. 2 : 2.
2. the child is not given proper upbringing or he refuses parental upbringing.
3. the child becomes a vagabond.
God's method of training children is found in Prov. 22: 6. Train them based on the instructions in the Bible and by godly example. The questions are: As a parent, are you born again? Are you living based on the principles of God's Word? If you are not you need to repent. A life without Christ is a life of crises/troubles and this will affect not only the children, but also other family members. Naturally, children are good imitators; the child needs to see you do what you preach or teach. One good example is better than 100 teachings or techniques. Children want to follow the examples of their parents. This way, your life and that of your children will bring joy to you, your home and others around you.

Prayer/Action
* I will not be a source of trouble to my parents and family, in Jesus’ name.
* Satan will not take over our children, in Jesus’ name.
* Our children will be tools unto honour in the hand of God, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month, lines will fall to me in pleasant places, I shall have a godly heritage and good result, in the name of Jesus.

Stay Awake

Wednesday 23 August
READ: Matt. 24:34-44
MORE LESSON: Isa. 52:1

It is important to stay awake because the bridegroom will come like a thief in the night, when nobody expects, Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come: Matt. 24:42. It is going to be a surprise and many shall be caught unawares. Jesus in Matt. 24: 37-39 cautions, But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be….before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away…. It shall be a day of everlasting joy for some, but of eternal sorrow for others.
It shall be a day of joy for the FEW that shall be caught up with the Lord and sorrow for many that will be left behind.
Jesus says in vs 40-41, Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. How terrible it will be for the one that is left behind! Imagine husband and wife sleeping together, two friends working together on the field, teacher and students in the class, or worse of all, a preacher and his congregation. What a day! I believe in the grace that kept those apostles, especially Peter and the power that translated him (Peter) from a reed to a rock. That power is still available today for as many as will believe in it to stay awake in this slumbering generation. Stay awake!
If you truely desire to stay awake in God, walk in the following instructions:
1. Stay close to the Word of God, Psa. 119:11.
2. Never cease to pray, 1 Thes. 5:17.
3. Walk with the wise, Prov. 13:20.
4. Be committed to kingdom service, Matt. 24:45-46.
5. Resist sin to the blood, Heb. 12:3-4.
6. Be careful about your company, I Cor. 15:33.
7. Never resist discipline and correction, Heb.12:6.
8. Be careful about fashion, I Jn.2:17.
9. Watch out for “it doesn’t matter” spirit, 2 Tim.4:3.
10. Make nothing a must except HEAVEN, Matt. 6:33.
11. Never end a day without a spiritual review of its activities, 2 Cor. 13:5.
12. Ask for God’s help and mercy on a daily basis, Psa. 90:14.

Prayer/Action
* Ask for grace to stay awake spiritually, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that God will keep you on fire consistently, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will be awake and active for God, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, thank You for making me an eagle, I refuse to be pulled down to peck the ground like chicks, I'm soaring from now on, in the name of Jesus.

The Strength of Relationship

Tuesday 22 August
READ: John 11:1-12
MORE LESSON: I John 3:1-2

The value that God attaches to relationship is epitomised by Jesus' relationship with Lazarus as recorded in our text. First, in verse 1, Lazarus is referred to as a “certain” sick man and then we learn that Lazarus and the other ladies, Mary and Martha, are from the same town. In verse 2, we are told that these ladies have a relationship with Lazarus, he is their brother. I'm sure by this explanation God wants to emphasise the importance of relationship.
Another level of relationship is introduced in verse 5, Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. This is Jesus' relationship with the whole family. But of particular interest today is the information in verse 11, …Our friend Lazarus…., which is a personal relationship between Jesus, His disciples and Lazarus.
The strength of this personal relationship was noticed when Jesus got to the graveside of Lazarus, Jesus wept: John 11:35. Such was their closeness that in spite of knowing that Lazarus was going to rise, Jesus still felt so much for Lazarus’ temporary affliction by death. In fact, the Jews standing-by noted, Behold how he loved him! v 36.
All this is a wake - up call to every believer that Christianity is all about loving one another, caring and feeling for one another in the household of faith. Regardless of denomination, tribe or
tongue, the Church must be one. It was the strength of relationship that sustained Jonathan’s son after Jonathan’s tragic death with his father, King Saul, And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake: 2 Sam. 9:1. It was relationship that made us God’s children and joint heir with Jesus, But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ: Eph. 2:13. God values his relationship with us, that was why He gave His Son for us and is preparing a place for us where He is. Brethen, let’s value relationship with one another, let’s build and not destroy godly relationship by all means.

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks for all the people He has surrounded you with, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to make the relationships a strength and blessing, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God that the relationship you keep will affect you positively, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
My sun will shine above the dark cloud, my days of glory are here and I shall live to see it, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Love your Soul

Monday 21 August
READ: Prov. 8:32-36
MORE LESSONS: Prov. 12:2

One of the greatest secrets of life unknown to many, both poor and rich, is the mystery of godly living. This mystery is that of knowing that whatsoever a man does in God is first and foremost for the good of that man before any other person or even God, ...for blessed are they that keep my ways: Prov. 8:32. The result of righteous living is first to the righteous. The good health, prosperity, peace, advancement, defence etc that the righteous enjoys is first a reward of his holy living. God is not the first beneficiary of holy living. It is the righteous.
Someone once said that the affliction and shame of immorality is first on the immoral person before other people around him. Every man is a direct beneficiary of the kind of life he lives. Many times I see people give the impression that their wrong doing is doing God harm in Heaven. This is not so; indeed, it is far from the truth. When you defile yourself with drinking, sexual immorality, smoking and other vices, God does not suffer any illness in Heaven for it; it is you who does. The same goes also for righteous living.
Our text today says, But he that
sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death: Prov. 8:36. To hate God and the things of God is death but to seek Him is life and favour, …the soul that sinneth, it shall die: Ezek. 18:4; For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: Rom. 3:23; For the wages of sin is death...: Rom. 6:23; Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him...: Isa. 3:11. All these scriptures imply that the consequences of sin are upon the sinner. The same also goes for righteous living, Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings: Isa. 3:10.
I have always said that the first beneficiary of wickedness is the wicked, he is restless, guilty, and haunted by his past. The righteous is peaceful and happy. He is blessed (vs. 32 & 34), and he has life (v. 35). Staying off evil and sin is a proof that you love your soul – but he that sins against me bears the consequences, But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death: v36.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you to be a good caretaker of your soul, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will not gain the world to lose your soul, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will not have the reward of the wicked and your end will not be with the ungodly, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
2017, I am a shining star, nothing less, in the name of Jesus.

Flee Fornication

Sunday 20 August
READ: I Cor. 6:15-20
MORE LESSON: I Cor. 6:9-10

Purity of life is one great priority of God, so He ordained marriage to, among others, prevent immorality and every sexual sin. Sexual immorality is one of the most grievous sins; it almost ruined the nation of Israel. God in His anger burst out, …let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them….: Exo. 32:10. The Israelites pushed God to the wall when they engaged in immorality and God was ready to change His plan of taking them to the Promised Land. No matter how sure a promise may be, when you choose to tow the line of carnal passion, God will have no choice but to change His mind.
It is very sad today that teenagers and young people see nothing wrong with sex before marriage. Reports have it that 43% of teenagers see nothing wrong with sex before marriage and about 36% are either living with a man/woman for sexual reasons or intend to do so before they marry. This is contrary to the Word of God, But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul...: Prov. 6:32-33.When you allow any body to defile you sexually, you choose destruction, wound, dishonour and lasting reproach.
God frowns at sex outside marriage and will severely punish anyone who ventures into it, Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge: Heb. 13:4. So determine to remain pure for your (future) partner because apart from the grievous consequences of fornication, it is disobedience to God, For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent: Prov. 6:23-29. Let him that has ears hear!

Prayer/Action
* Pray against every strategy of the enemy to suggest sexual sin through media, internet, friendship. Declare it will not succeed over you, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to keep you pure and spotless in this pervert world, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYERS
My Father, my Father, God of battle, today I cast every serpent of melita into the fire and I declare no harm to my destiny, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Counsel in the Word

Saturday 19 August
READ: Isa. 9: 6
MORE LESSON: John 5 : 33 – 39

One of the titles of Jesus Christ in the text is Counsellor. This means that each time you need counsel, you get it from Jesus. One of the ways to get counsel from Jesus is through His Word. Jesus is the Word and the subject of the Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Every time you need counsel from Him, go to His Word. As long as you have access to the Bible you have access to good counsel.
Some people travel out of base in Zaria, Nigeria, to other places and they lose the fire of God in their lives and backslide. When asked, they say the reason they backslide is because they do not have the kind of church that they were attending in Zaria. I ask them, “If you can't find the kind of church you were attending in Zaria, can't you find the kind of Bible you were reading in Zaria?” Christianity includes a vital relationship with a vibrant church but your faith has to go beyond corporate Christianity in a vibrant church. You must carry individual fire and be able to personally access counsel from the Word of God, whether your pastor is there or not. Every good church is built on the Bible, so even if you travel to a nation where there is no church at all; you still have access to the source as long as you have access to the Bible. You should be so full of the Word of God that you become a mobile church, wherever
you go. As vital as church attendance is, you should build your spiritual life on the Word of God and not merely on the church that you attend.
John 14:26 says, But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you (AMP). As you read the Word and the Holy Spirit breathes on it, you get all the counsel that you need. Jesus is our Counsellor through the Holy Spirit.
This counsel is available through the Word. From today, you will not be confused anymore, in Jesus’ name. Closeness to the Bible is closeness to Jesus because the Bible is Jesus in written form. One cannot love Jesus and dislike the Bible. People wish they can see Jesus face to face and take direct counsel from Him like when He was on the earth physically, but this is ignorance because Jesus is still here by His Word, saying the same thing He used to say when He was here physically. Jesus by His Word, the Bible, is the same Counsellor, yesterday, today and forever more. The Counsellor is alive.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the Word of Christ will dwell in you richly, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray for fresh desire to study God’s Word daily, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that your faith be rooted in God's Word and not in wisdom of men, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
In Christ Jesus I have chosen the best path of life; sin, Satan and the world cannot take me out, in the name of Jesus.

To the Law and Testimony

Friday 18 August
READ: Isa. 8: 18-20
MORE LESSON: Gal. 1: 6 – 9

Jesus is light and every counsel, testimony or word must conform to Him or else they are invalid. This means that any word or counsel that any one gives you and it cannot be confirmed by the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus is not a right counsel. You must reject that counsel even if the one who gives it is a man of God. Apostle Paul went to the extent of saying that if any man or even an angel comes to give a gospel that is not consistent with the Word of God, the counsel should be rejected and the giver be accursed.
A lady goes to a prophet to pray for the fruit of the womb and the 'man of God' says that as part of the prayer, he would have to sleep with her. Is that according to the law and testimony of Jesus? It is wrong to go to such a son of the devil in the first place, so the right thing to do is never to go near such an environment again. A man is given counsel to abandon his spiritual source and God's cover over his life and to start visiting strange spiritual sources. That counsel is not according to the law and testimony of Jesus. Have you also noticed that gossips never have anything scriptural to talk about? It is only stories they give. Even when they quote the Bible they quote out of context because they won’t study the Bible and what they say is unscriptural. Do not listen to gossips and slanderers because they do not talk according to the law and the testimony of Jesus. When I wanted to silence all the gossips around me, I announced that anyone who gives me information about anybody must be ready to confirm what he is saying in the presence of the victim.
You are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Make sure everything you say carries light and salt. Your words should bring illumination to someone's path and seasoning cum preservation to someone's life. Make sure the words you say conform to the law of God and the testimony of Jesus, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers: Eph 4:29. You must also check every counsel and word spoken to you to see whether it is according to the law and testimony of Jesus, But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned: Matt. 12:36-37.

Prayer/Action
* Declare that every handwriting of evil against you be blotted out, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that every word that you speak from today shall be words seasoned with grace, in Jesus’ name.
* Destroy by fire any ill-spoken words projected against you, your household or your local church, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Jehovah God, today is the day of my replenishing, I shall no longer be famished or dry, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Write it Down

Thursday 17 August
READ: Hab. 2:2
MORE LESSON:  2 Tim. 4:11-13

Every word that you receive is not just information for today but counsel for tomorrow. You may become stuck later and it is the words that God has spoken to you in the past that will pull you out. In fact, God can send you a word which He knows you will need only in the future. It is important you write down the words that you receive from the Lord at your personal altar, in the congregation of God's children etc. Note the scriptures that minister to you, record God's counsel and prophecy to you.  We have emphasised the importance of reading in success, but we need to emphasise that of writing.

Hab. 2: 2 says, ...Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. You find it easy to run with a vision that you have written down. When God gave Joseph an explanation and prophecy about his future, what helped him was that he noted it. The vision was not just about his brothers and parents bowing to him. It was about Egypt and other nations bowing to him. He didn't have the full understanding when he received the word but because he noted it, it became clearer with time. Keep a diary of God's dealings in your life. Write down your plans and visions, thereby you will make maximum impact in life.

After I finished my A’ levels, I studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation times and again. I was blessed but I wrote nothing down. However, one of those times I just decided to write down the things I learnt. So I bought a notebook, carried my Thomas Nelson Bible and made notes as I read. I was not in ministry that time; I merely was digging into the Word because of my love for it.

Years later, after God had called me into ministry and I was in Zaria, they were searching the cupboard in my parents' house and found a notebook where I wrote a lot of things. My mum sent the book to me in Zaria and I went over the notes again. I was simply amazed. The revelations in that book were so deep and profound that I could preach from that book for a whole year. In fact, some of the revelations were things I didn't remember anymore and it was like my notes were teaching me afresh. I was shocked I had written such depth of insight years earlier. I didn't know I would be a full time preacher of the Gospel when I was reading the Bible at that time but what made the difference is that I wrote as I read. What you write today will teach, counsel, guide and encourage you tomorrow. So write the vision. 

Prayer/Action
*  Prophesy the fulfilment of God’s promises to you, today and always, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask for a fresh revelation of God’s Word each time you read it.
*  Pray that you will be intentional about recording and cherishing your history with God from  today, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Jesus, I am kept in the hollow of your hand, I cannot be plucked out, I'm secured! Thank you Jesus, in Jesus' name.

The Inward Voice

Wednesday 16 August
READ: Psa. 16: 7-11; Prov. 20:26-27
MORE LESSON: Psa. 32: 7-9

One of the secrets of obtaining instructions from the Lord is to listen to your inward man. God communicates certain things to our spirit, which the mind is not yet aware of. It is the ability to discern the voice of the Spirit that gives us an advantage in the walk of life. Psa. 4:4 says, Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. There are lots of instruction and counsel that the Lord wants to communicate to us but they will come as we learn to listen to His voice on the inside.
Believers more often than not listen to all the voices outside but they do not listen for the still small voice on the inside. Prophecies, and advice from external sources are not wrong in themselves but beyond all these, we must learn to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in our inward man. Before you go to hear what someone else has to say on an issue, why not check what God is saying to your spirit? Listening to the inward voice of the Spirit will make the difference between making the right or wrong choice. God's voice is gentle and still; it can come anywhere, anytime. The key is to keep your spirit connected to Him irrespective of the physical location.

Oftentimes believers do something disastrous and afterwards remark, “Something inside me was telling me not to do this”. It is not 'something'; it is the voice of the Spirit in your inward man.
You must train yourself to hear the inward Voice.
The Bible says, The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly: Prov. 20: 27. You will easily obtain direction from the Lord when you learn to listen to His voice in your recreated spirit. It is noteworthy that we must keep the right spiritual and mental environment that makes it easy for the Holy Spirit to minister His voice to us. There are places that are conducive to the Holy Spirit and there are some that are not. Secular songs, films and magazines will fill your spirit with so many voices of men and of the flesh and smother the voice of the Spirit. It is also necessary that you don't just run up and down 24 hours a day because you are 'trying to make it'. A single instruction from God through silent meditation will give you more than years of hustling around will. Hardwork is important for success but it is more important to listen diligently to God.
Jesus the Counsellor dwells in you through the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is tune in to the frequency of the Spirit and hear the voice of the Counsellor inside of you. As a child of God, how much of your Father’s voice can you boldly say you hear each day? Do you even know His voice? When last did you hear your Father speak to you? Give an answer now.

Prayer/Action
* Rebuke every voice of distraction around you that will not allow you hear the voice of God, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to help you to be sensitive to the voice of His Spirit within you always, in Jesus’ mighty name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, thank You for the fall of all ancient gates and the lifting of everlasting doors for my life, in Jesus' mighty name.

The Land that the Lord Cares for

Tuesday 15 August
READ: Deut. 11: 11 -15
MORE LESSON: Psa. 92: 12 – 15

There are lands that the government specially cares for and invests more resources there than in other places. This might be because they get more resources from such places. Beyond the care of the government, there is a land that the Lord cares for. The text of today describes a particular land which drinks water from Heaven. This means that it is not the waters of the earth that irrigate that land but the water from Heaven. So if there is drought on the earth and all the water dries up; this land still receives water because its source of water is from Heaven, not earth.
The Bible also says that the eyes of the Lord are upon this land from the beginning to the end of the year. Security men and military personnel can be watching other lands but this land is watched by the eyes of the Lord to ensure security and prosperity. When the eyes of the Lord are upon a land, there is favour upon that land. So in that land there is plenty and abundance throughout the year. As you sow your seed, plenty will follow you. Isa. 35:8 says that a highway shall be there, which shall be called the highway of holiness, The eyes of the Lord cannot be on the land where a sinner stands and He does not care for it. May be that is the reason you have been
struggling and sweating without results. You will witness a change if you give your life to Jesus and walk into the land of plenty. Mercy is the key to the land of plenty.
This land is your life and destiny, it is not merely a country somewhere on the earth. The Bible is talking about you and your family when it describes the land that the Lord cares for. So declare confidently that 'I am the land that the Lord cares for.' You do not need to be afraid of the problems in the land because you are cared for by the Lord Himself. The destiny of the righteous is a life that the Lord God cares for. In Psa. 1:1-5, David said such righteous life shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water; obviously it shall not see drought. Also, Moses wrote in Deut. 8:7-9 referring to the promised land (Canaan), For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land...wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it.... Beloved, you are that promised land, you are God’s canaan, rise up now and claim those promises for the land (your destiny) that the Lord cares for.

Prayer/Action
* Proclaim that your life /home is the land that the Lord has blessed, in Jesus’ name.
* Declare that you will walk in abundance all the days of your life, in Jesus’ name.
* Tell the devil your life is a land that God cares for, in Jesus’ mighty name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
From this time on, thou grace of God, answer all my enemies at the gate, in the name of Jesus.

Because You are Blessed II

Monday 14 August
READ: Gen. 39: 7-21
MORE LESSON: Psa. 105:17- 22

Righteous men go through difficult times and they wonder 'why me?' At such times people might even point at what sin they must have committed. However, it is possible that the adversity is not because of sin but because the blessing of God is on your life.
Joseph was the well-favoured and highly blessed child of Jacob. However, from childhood, it was always the story of one trouble or the other for him. He escaped death narrowly from the hands of his brothers only because they decided at the last minute that they were better off making money from selling him than killing him. He landed as a slave in Potiphar's house and God's blessing began to find expression on his life so much that his master noticed that his household was blessed because of Joseph's presence. All of a sudden, his master's wife lied against him because he refused to compromise his righteousness. Thus Joseph landed in prison.
In all these seeming calamities, there is a testimony that was constant about Joseph. From his father's house through the house of slavery to the prison, the Bible says ...the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper: Gen 39:23. Therefore all the adversity and difficulties were not because the Lord had forsaken him, rather it was because the Lord was with him. He passed through difficulties because he was blessed, not because he was cursed.
You would notice that in spite of the difficulties, he prospered. Everything he laid his hands upon prospered despite all the opposition. This is the evidence that God was with him and was working out something in his life. The Lord will not leave you without a memorial of His blessing. If you look diligently, you will see evidence that you are blessed in spite of the challenges.
Joseph was thrown into prison because he was blessed. In the prison, he prospered and was in charge of fellow prisoners. It was through his prison experience that he met the person that mentioned his name to Pharaoh. In one night, Joseph moved from the prison to become the prime minister.
Anyone who saw Joseph as prime minister of Egypt would exclaim that he was such a fortunate and blessed young man. But they wouldn't know what he went through to get to the place of blessing. He didn't start becoming blessed on the throne of Egypt. He was blessed all along in the pit, prison and as a slave. I want you to know that you are blessed in spite of your situation and it will soon be obvious for all to see. What you are going through may not be pleasant but it is because you are blessed. So refuse to be distracted, don't concentrate on the pains and the questions, just keep a close walk with God in all situations and your sweat will turn to sweetness.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that in all you go through in life, the presence of the Lord will not leave you.
* Pray that you will be conscious of the abiding presence of God all your days.
* Declare that you are too blessed to be cursed, in Jesus’ mighty name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I receive grace and favour for unusual preference wherever I have a request this month, in the name of Jesus.

Because You are Blessed I

Sunday 13 August
READ: Gen. 39: 21 - 23
MORE LESSON: Gen. 49: 22 – 26

Joseph was a blessed man but the story of his blessing is a rare case. He was blessed but he passed through very difficult situations that made it look like he wasn't blessed. In actual sense, it was the outworking of the blessing upon his life that made him pass through those adverse situations in life. The good thing about Joseph is that he maintained a good attitude through it all. He understood that the reason he was persecuted was because he was blessed and not because he was cursed. Many times you pass through difficulties not because you are not blessed but because you are blessed.

Joseph had lost his mother as a small child and his brothers were jealous of him because his father loved him. Right from childhood, he knew adversity. The brothers tried to kill him and eventually sold him to human traffickers. Looking at his life on the surface, one would think that he is a child who had ill-luck. On the other hand, all the things he went through were all because he was the one that the Lord had chosen to be blessed more than his brethren. All the difficulties you are going through could be because you are blessed.
Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt but, in the house of his slave master, the Bible records, And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian: Gen 39:2. Can you imagine a slave being called prosperous? that was Joseph for you. He was a slave but he was prosperous. In fact, it was the blessing upon his life that made his master to prosper. Joseph was doing well until the wife of his master started to entice him to commit adultery with her. He refused and persecution started again. He eventually ended up in the prison. Why? Because he was blessed! The blessing on Joseph's life was so obvious the woman wanted him to sleep with her. The woman would have partnered with the devil to corrupt and destroy the blessing on Joseph's life.
This is a lesson for all; Joseph was blessed but he needed righteousness to sustain the blessing because the Lord will not be with a sinner. The prosperity of the Lord belongs to the righteous. Joseph passed through a lot of hardship and persecution both of which were an outworking of the blessing upon his life. If it was someone else, he would have become bitter and started complaining, 'Why are all these happening to only me?' However Joseph maintained a right attitude from the pit to slavery and from slavery to the prison till he finally got to the throne. So all that he passed through was because he had a blessing upon his life that was on its way to happen. He ran the race with patience, godliness and commitment to his God-given dream and he made it to the throne. The pathway to the throne can be thorny but the godly will not turn back.

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks for choosing you for the blessing, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that the blessing of God in your life shall be sustained and nothing will rob you of it, in Jesus’ name.
* Prophesy that all adversity is working for your good, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
By the efficacy of the blood of Jesus, no litigation against me and my family in hell shall stand; I declare them null and void today, in the name of Jesus.

Vainglory

Saturday 12 August
READ: Phil. 2: 3
MORE LESSON: Matt. 5: 13-16

When men seek self glory it is vain. Vainglory is the glory that a man seeks for himself without allowing God to bestow it on him, ...so for men to search their own glory is not glory: Prov. 25:27. It is when a man does things to be seen and praised by men. Whatever you do to get praise for yourself will not attract the praise of God. If you seek your own glory, you will not see the glory of God on your life.
There are people who give money in church and they are offended because the pastor did not announce, “we thank God for Brother X who the Lord used to meet this need”. The pastor is in trouble if he acknowledges and praises the input of many in the church anonymously. The question is, 'Are they doing it for man or for God?' If you are doing it for God, then you don't need the praise of man. Do not let men give you all the reward you will get because they have praised and blown your trumpet; rather let God who sees in the secret reward you openly. Some brethren even complain, “Our church shows no appreciation, you come for meetings, contribute to the work and serve in the workforce and no one even says thank you.” Are you doing it to be thanked by men or to be rewarded by God?
Gal. 5:26 says, Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Vain glory stems from pride of life; it is when self wants to be seen and praised. Pride is a terrible destroyer as demostrated in the fall of Lucifer from Heaven to hell to become the devil. He was a beautiful angel who said in his heart that as attractive as he was, he was not getting due attention because God was always the subject of attraction. So he wanted to be seen and praised as well and he thought the best way to do it was to exalt himself above God so that all the attention that God got would come to him. Consequently he was cast down to hell. Pride always precedes a fall and vain glory will always lead to loss of God's glory.
If you want to amount to anything great in the hands of God, pride and vain glory must be cast out of your life. You must learn to do everything to the glory of God. This is not to say good deeds should not be appreciated in church or anywhere but that appreciation should not be the motive and purpose of doing anything for God, so that if you are praised give glory to God who enabled you to do what is praised and if not there should be no offence, all must be to the praise of God. Showmanship has no eternal reward, only a clap is its reward. All things should be done that God be praised, not us; that is the will of God.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your service shall not be to seek vain glory nor the praise of men, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will not miss the reward for your services in God’s vineyard.
* Ask for grace to be spiritually minded in your spiritual service, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, the mercy You have shown me shall be extended to all my family members, none shall see death before seeing You, in the name of Jesus.

The Offering of Cain

Friday 11 August
READ: Gen 4: 3 – 15
MORE LESSON: Heb. 11: 4

Cain and Abel were brothers; born of the same parents. They both offered sacrifices to God. The offering of Abel was accepted while that of Cain was rejected. When Cain's offering was rejected, he became very angry. If God rejects a man's offering, anger should not be the next thing; rather he should find out why his offering was not accepted and make amends. God even told Cain that he had a second chance to get it right and become accepted, If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? Gen 4:7 (NIV). However, like many people today, when Cain was corrected, he became angry and reacted against God instead of making amends.
Obviously Cain wanted to glorify himself by his offering and not to glorify God. If he really wanted to glorify God, he would have gone the extra mile to seek to know what God wanted when God rejected what he brought. It is when a man wants to glorify himself that he takes things personal when not approved. If you really sing to glorify God, why do you feel slighted that you are not chosen to lead a song? If you preach to glorify God, why do you get angry that the people didn't clap for you as much as they clapped for the other preacher in a meeting. A man who is out to glorify God with his offering is not after the praise of men.
Cain's offering was not accepted and so he was 'very wroth' (verse 5 KJV). 'Very wroth' is an advanced stage of anger. Cain was so angry that even God's attempt to pacify him was turned down, he refused God's warning and advice and he killed his brother. Cain became the first murderer in creation, and so he was damned.
Cain merely brought an offering to God but he ended up becoming damned for it. Men have brought offering to God and they lived because of it while some did and they died because of it. The difference is the heart; when a man brings offering to God, it must be brought on God's terms and to God's glory. It is when men want to offer to God on their own terms and to their own glory that they are destroyed for it. The offering of Cain is the offering done with a selfish intention. It is like the offering of a man who gives to church and thinks he has earned the right to start controlling the pastor. It is the service done to flaunt self and promote personal agenda rather than God's agenda. Today, you must pray to God to purify your heart and intention so that you may offer to God in righteousness (Mal. 3: 3).

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your life will be an offering of continual praise to God, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that your offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable to God, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask that by the mercy of God you will know what He requires of you and walk in it, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month I shall not live in ill health, I shall not waste my resources on sickness, I shall prosper in my body even as my soul prospers, in the name of Jesus.

Stewards of God's Resources

Thursday 10 August
READ: Matt. 14: 14 – 20
MORE LESSON: 2 Cor. 9: 10

All the resources we have are given to us by God, ...A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven: John 3:27. We are actually not owners of riches or blessings but stewards to whom God has committed them. The earth with its fullness is owned by God (Psa 24: 1) and all that we have are what He has given us to hold in trust for Him. According to Jam 1: 17, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. We will give an account of how we use God's resources that He has committed to our care.
God gives us money to keep for Him and then He demands for it when His work on earth needs it. One notable thing about God's resources in our care is that while He gives us money to keep for Him, He allows us to enjoy the interest that accrues on the money. So God's money is in our hands for His use, however the money yields interest for our use. God does not wish that you give to His work without a return, ...and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it:
Mal 3:10. He desires that you give to Him and He multiplies the resources in your hands so that you have more than enough to meet your needs.
In Matt. 14, Jesus collected five loaves of bread and two fish from a young lad so that it could be used for His work. We must not forget that the bread and fish was created by the Master and was His in the first place; the boy realised that he was a steward of the Master's belongings. So after the boy handed it over to the Lord, the Lord used it but it yielded an interest. The bread and fish multiplied and there were 12 baskets leftover. That interest belonged by right to the boy who gave up his lunch pack.
This shows that even though God puts resources in our hands and will make demands on them, He will always leave us with the interest so that we also have more than enough for ourselves. God is gracious. He gives His resources to us, asks us to give to Him out of His resources that He has given us, multiplies our gift when we give to Him out of His resources and gives us the multiplied interest so that we have more than sufficient for our needs and more to give to Him, which He will multiply again when we give.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to make you a channel through which His resources will flow to the world at large, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Pray that you will be a faithful steward of God’s resources, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today I shut the door of August against every force of sorrow, misfortune and sad news, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Trust not in Riches

Wednesday 9 August
READ: Psa. 62: 8 – 10
MORE LESSON: Psa. 49: 6

Wealth is a great blessing that helps us to further the cause of the gospel and help humanity. Zech 1: 17 says, Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad.... Wealth and prosperity are part of God's plan for expanding His kingdom and purpose on the earth. There is an assumption in the Body of Christ that when a righteous man is rich, he will commit sin; therefore, God doesn't want us to be rich so that we will remain holy. This teaching has made a lot of believers unconsciously desire poverty in order to be safe. The truth is that poverty, more than prosperity, endangers salvation. It also endangers the work of God. The danger in prosperity comes when the money in our hands is not used for advancing the work of God. Anything we have that we cannot use for God becomes sin in our hand.
In the quest for prosperity, we must never allow riches to take the place of God in our heart. Those that trust in riches instead of God will destroy their own souls. Psa 62: 10 says if riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. It is in setting your heart on riches that you begin to offend God. When making money becomes more important to you than loving and serving God, or your sense of security is in the amount of money you have and not in the God that you have, there is trouble.
There are people that cannot give because there is a benchmark that they do not allow the money in their accounts to go below. Once their bank accounts start reading below a particular amount, they get restless and behave as if the sky is about to fall. This benchmark that they have set for themselves is another man's financial prayer point for a whole year. The sad thing is that they have not set a benchmark for their prayer life or fellowship with God.
As children of God we must get victory over the hold of money as we get victory over sin. As a child of God overcomes sexual immorality and stealing, he must also overcome the hold of money over his life. Greed and lust for money must be destroyed so that one is not ruled by money. Paul said, I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need: Phil 4:12. Paul is not advocating poverty but advising that there is nothing that we should not be able to live without. We should not trust in riches but be able to live contentedly with or without it.

Prayer/Action
* Tell the Lord that He will remain first in your life, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to add everything else to you as you seek first His kingdom, in Jesus mighty name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I open the door of miracles, signs and wonders to this month; it shall be testimony all the way, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Seed of Restoration

Tuesday 8 August
READ: 2 Kings 6: 1 – 7
MORE LESSON: Joel 2: 23 – 26

The sons of the prophet wanted to build a bigger house for the prophet. In order to achieve this, one of them went to borrow an axe for the job. As they were working, the axe head fell into the water. They needed a miracle to salvage the situation so they went to meet the man of God. There is a lesson that can be learnt from the miracle of restoration that was performed that day. God's servant took a stick and threw it into the water and as the stick went in, the iron floated to the surface. There is no natural law or science that can account for the dynamics of this miracle. How does an axe head float on water? What is the relationship between the wood that was thrown in and the iron that floated to the surface? No man can explain.
However, one thing that is obvious in this miracle is that for every expected harvest, there must be a seed. When you want a miracle, there is a seed that you need to sow. The man of God showed them that the iron would not just float, there needed to be the sowing of the seed of wood. When you look at stick and iron, you will realise that iron is heavier than
wood. So the harvest is always heavier than the seed. Therefore, “no seed, no harvest”, “seed brings heavier harvest”. The stick was the seed for the restoration of the iron.
The sons of the prophet had a role to play in the miracle of restoration that was wrought that day. They needed to throw in something no matter how small. You always have a role to play in having God break your siege and bring a restoration. They just lost the axe head and could have used that as an excuse not to sow a seed. However, the man of God cut a stick and released the stick inside the same water that swallowed the axe head and the wood brought out the iron. He must have used another axe head, probably from another of the sons of the prophet to cut the stick that he threw in. Therefore, you also should not just sit bemoaning your lost axe head, get another one and cut the stick to sow a seed. Your seed will break your siege of loss and bring the restoration of all that was lost. Sow a seed no matter your condition.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will end all siege in your life by your seeds, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that your seeds shall bring mighty harvest, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask for a miracle that will defy the natural order of things in your life, in Jesus’ mighty name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Satan, I rebuke you and your force over my new month, you shall not have a memorial in it, in the mighty name of Jesus

The Seed that Breaks the Siege

Monday 7 August
READ: 1 Sam. 1: 11
MORE LESSON: 2 Kgs. 3: 21 – 27

Year after year, Hannah wept because she had no child. Her pain was heightened by the fact that Peninnah, her husband's second wife who had sons and daughters, tormented her. Each time they went to the house of God in Shiloh, Hannah’s prayer was for a child. However on the day the Lord visited her she did something that she had not done before, And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head: 1 Sam 1:11.
Hannah promised the unborn child as a seed to the Lord and the Lord heard her prayer. God needed a prophet and Hannah needed a child. So Hannah promised the Lord that if He would give her a child, she would give Him the child as a prophet. This means that Hannah gave the child as a seed to the Lord and her seed broke the siege over her womb. There are many types of seed: money, word, service, your life etc. Whatever the type of seed you want to sow, you need to know that you can break your siege with your seed.
God gave Hannah a son named Samuel and she gave him to serve in the house of the Lord. After she handed over Samuel to the priest of the Lord Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, Hannah, And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home. And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD: 1 Sam 2: 20 – 21. The siege had been broken and the Lord gave her many more children. Moreover the child that she gave to the Lord was not lost but rather became the best of her children. The names of all the other children of Elkanah may not be known, but Samuel is remembered forever. He is the child that was sown as a seed to the Lord.
Even a non Jewish king had the knowledge of the power of seed and did not spare his first son to break the siege of Israel against him. In today’s more lesson the king of Moab sacrificed his eldest son, taking after the sacrifice of Jesus to appeal for divine intervention in a war that was ‘sore’ against him. Despite the prophecy of Elisha to the contrary(v18), when the king laid down his sacrifice the tide turned (v27) and they (Israel) departed from him. Send your seed against your siege.

Prayer/Action
* Proclaim that no siege will be able to resist the power of your seed, in Jesus’ name.
* Declare there shall be a thousand fold return for every seed you sow this year.
* Decree that you are walking in super abundance by the power of sacrificial sowing, in Jesus’ mighty name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I connect with the Spirit and blessing of Judah, my month shall flow continuously with praise, in the name of Jesus.

The Hundredfold and the Blessing

Sunday 6 August
READ: Gen. 26: 12-19
MORE LESSON: Psa. 112: 1 – 10

The lineage of the righteous is always blessed. When we look at the Scripture, we will see that the patriarchs and men of faith were people of righteousness and blessing. Men like Abraham have showed us that it is possible for the righteous to be rich. All the traditions and doctrines that make it look like becoming born again means signing up for poverty is entirely wrong. Wealth and abundance are the heritage of the righteous. According to Psa. 112:3, Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
In the Bible, a testimony was recorded about Isaac that he sowed in the land where he was and he reaped a hundredfold. After reaping the hundred- fold, the Lord further blessed him. It says, Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him: Gen 26:12. Reaping a hundredfold of one's planting is blessing enough but as if that is not enough, the Lord blessed Isaac after he had reaped a hundredfold. This denotes both natural and supernatural blessings. Isaac experienced the blessing of having returns from the natural work of his hands. Then he also experienced supernatural blessings that he couldn't account for by the work of his hands. You will receive the hundredfold
and you will also receive the blessing. In other words, God will give you both blessings that you work for and those that you can't work for.
For the rest of your life, expect a hundredfold return from every effort you make. You will never labour and have nothing to show for it anymore because the Lord is giving you the hundredfold harvest. In addition to that, expect blessings that you can't labour for. Prov 10:22 says, The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. The Lord will crown your hundredfold returns with the blessing.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, David, Solomon and our Lord Jesus Christ were blessed people. You are from a lineage of wealthy people, your story will not be less. The adage 'like father like son' applies to you, not according to your natural parenthood but by your spiritual descent from the lineage of the blessed. You will not be poor or small. Your greatness will not stop. You will move from one level of glory to another. Wealth will be found in your house, in Jesus’ mighty name. I pray for you today, the Lord will increase your greatness and comfort you on every side (Psa. 71:21). He will break the curse of poverty over you. I release you into wealth.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the hundredfold blessing shall rest upon your work, in Jesus’ name.
* Declare that because you are a righteous seed, wealth and prosperity shall be in your house, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask for the things money can buy and the ones money cannot buy, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every dark cloud confronting my sunshine, scatter now, in the name of Jesus.

The Seed of the Widow

Saturday 5 August
READ: 1 Kings 17: 8 – 16
MORE LESSON: Psa. 126: 5 - 6

The Word of the Lord came to Elijah to go to Zarephath for there a widow had been commanded to feed him. The widow on the other hand didn't know she had been commanded to feed anybody; she was not even able to feed herself and her son. At the time Elijah arrived, she was actually trying to cook the last meal she had so that she and her son could eat and thereafter wait for death by starvation. The meal was her last and she was undoubtedly very hungry as she would have stayed off the last meal in order to save it for as long as she could.
When Elijah arrived, he asked her for water. Bearing in mind that it was a time of famine and drought where it had not rained for years, even the instruction to give water was not as easy as it sounds; but she obeyed. Elijah didn't stop at asking for water, he asked her for food. She replied that she didn't have food except little flour and a cruise of oil which she was going to prepare for her and her son to eat as their last meal. That was a very touching statement but the prophet seemed unperturbed; he just told her to go and prepare the last she had for him to eat.
The instruction sounds unfair and cruel. Here is a widow with her last morsel of food and a prophet walks to her demanding for food. She explained to the prophet that she was willing to give him food but she couldn't because all she had was a morsel of food for herself and her son after which they had no hope of any other meal. The prophet replied that he understood their predicament but they should handover their last meal to him to eat. One would have expected that a prophet should provide for the poor widow but here was a prophet placing a demand on the widow to sow her last as seed. Everything about the seed looked wrong; the amount, the timing, and the person of whom it was demanded. However, the widow obeyed and the blessing of the Lord came upon her house. The food continued to multiply and the oil never ceased flowing.
One thing that can be learnt from the widow of Zarephath is that one should sow one’s seed first before he eats his bread. Psa 126: 6 makes us to understand that those that sow in tears will reap in joy. So even though it is your last, you must plant your seed, plant generously because the size of your seed determines the size of your harvest, plant on good ground and plant continually at every opportunity you have, And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah: 1 Kgs. 17: 15-16.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to turn your little into a miracle of harvest, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that as Heaven makes demand on your seed you shall not withhold and you shall not lose your harvest, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask for accurate prophetic instruction today that will change your life forever.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
My destiny divorce secret and public bitter pains of life, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Keep Sowing

Friday 4 August
READ: Gal. 6: 6 – 10
MORE LESSON: Eccl. 11: 3 -4

God's covenant with the earth is that for every seed you sow there must be a harvest, While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease: Gen 8:22. So whenever you need a harvest, you look for a seed to sow to attract the harvest. Many people ask, 'I have been sowing and my harvest has not come, what should I do?' The answer to everything is in the Bible, Gal 6: 9 says, And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Your harvest will surely come but while you wait for it, you must continue to sow, For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry: Hab. 2:3. All your seeds and sacrifices may not be showing presently as you can't see the commensurate harvest, but as surely as the Word of God is true, your harvest will speak at the end.
Never get tired of sowing seeds because when you give up on sowing, you have given up on the harvest. Sow more seeds to activate the harvests that are hanging. It is like the falling of the rain which happens as the water on the earth keeps accumulating in the clouds till one day, the cloud is full and all the water of many months that have condensed and accumulated fall as rain, If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth...: Eccl. 11:3.
Gal 6:10 says, As we have therefore opportunity... Sowing is an opportunity. Therefore make use of the opportunity as much as it comes your way. If you see a prophet , sow into his grace. If you see a person in need, sow into his life. Do not be weary of sowing seeds because you will reap in due season. I am glad to announce to you that your due season has come. From today onward, you will begin to experience an avalanche of harvest of all the seeds you have ever sown in life. As you keep sowing, I decree an opening of unending harvest over your life and destiny, in Jesus’ name. Don't observe the wind, just sow, He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap: Eccl. 11:4. It can be painful but God has promised a harvest (Psa. 126:5-6).

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will not lack seed for sowing, in Jesus's name
* Pray that you will not be weary in well doing in the name of Jesus

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Standing on Jesus the Rock that never fails, I decree that the sound of joy and gladness shall be my portion throughout this month, in the name of Jesus.

Seed and Bread

Thursday 3 August
READ: 2 Cor. 9: 10 - 11
MORE LESSON: Isa. 55: 10 – 11

God is the one who gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater. It is your responsibility to distinguish what is seed and what is bread. If one eats his seed as bread, one will not have bread to eat at harvest. It is wise not to eat the future in the present. God is the giver of both seed and bread but man determines what he does with each. Your ability to distinguish between seed and bread determines your future.
It is not everything that enters your hand that you eat. You must learn to sow seed to the future. It is a good habit that whatever enters your hand, you take a seed out of it to sow for the continuity of the fruit. There is no fruit without a seed; there is no harvest without a planting. God didn't create anything without a part of it that serves as the seed to ensure continuity. When you look at plants, trees, animals and every creature, you will realise that God made a part that will be reserved to ensure continuity. This is the reason for tithing and giving offering. It is to ensure continuity of the inflow of the blessing. I have seen people give tithe of their wedding gifts, some give out of material possession.
The underlining principle is that you should not consume all that you have on yourself, set aside a part that will serve as a seed. It takes a sower to reap. Whoever tries to reap without sowing first is trying to steal. The principle of sowing and reaping is a universal principle. It is no respecter of religion, tribe or race. If an unbeliever sows he will reap, if a believer refuses to sow he has nothing to reap. It is also important to note that seed is not limited to money.
Your life is a seed; the way you live today determines what becomes of you tomorrow. Your actions are seed, the way you treat people today is how they will treat you tomorrow. When you help others, you will be helped. Your words are seed; what you say today will manifest in your life and environment tomorrow. If you call your child 'foolish' so much that he begins to think that 'foolish' is actually his real name, he will manifest so much 'foolishness' that even you will be tired of it. If you like destroying people's lives with your pen and word, it is a seed. Whatever you do, you will get it, full measure, pressed down and shaken together.
Choose the right seeds to sow for the seed you sow today is the bread you will eat tomorrow.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your seed will yield good harvest, in the mighty name of Jesus.
* Receive the mercy of God to avert evil harvest, and to desist from sowing evil seed, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Ask God to put seeds in your hand that you can plant, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Both the arrow that flies by day and the terror of the night shall exempt me, in the name of Jesus.