God's Standard

Thursday 28 June
READ: 2 Timothy 2: 19 – 20
MORE LESSON: Acts 20:16-24

I met a woman in Accra, Ghana, who told me that she had lived in Kaduna, Nigeria, before. I became interested, being a resident of Kaduna state myself. So I asked her, 'What is your name?' She gave me a Christian name and then added, “But I didn’t go by that name in Kaduna”. I was intrigued and asked more questions. Then she told me that when she was in Kaduna, she assumed a Muslim name so that she could get job, appointment, government loans and other benefits. So everyone in Kaduna knew her with the assumed name but her real name was a Christian name. I asked her why she did that and she answered, 'Sir, you know we need to make ends meet and be able to put spirit and soul together'. She smiled as if what she was about to say was really funny and said, 'You know sir, it is only when one is alive that one can think about keeping the gospel running'.
The standards of God remain unchanged. If people compromise on righteousness, God never does and never will. A man that does wrong because he wants the body and the soul to stay alive, has just rendered the spirit dead. Sin kills the spirit and if the spirit is dead, what is the use of the body and the soul than for them to burn in hell? Survival or making ends meet is never a reason for anyone to go against righteousness. We are in perilous times when people throw away salvation to get job, scholarship, appointment and spouse.
God's standard and purpose are more important than success. It is better to stick to God and be denied than to compromise the standards of God and make headway in life. What is the use of making progress if the way leads to hell? God's purpose and assignment are more important than our life. So even if a man dies maintaining God's purpose and standard for his life, it is worth it. 2 Tim. 2:19 says that the foundation of God stands sure. This means that God's standard remains unchanged. God's standard is that anyone who will be His must stand for Him and depart from iniquity. God doesn't condone compromise of any kind, so let us know what we have believed and hold on to it lest we trade eternal life for the mundane things of this world. The Lord will help you to stay true to Him come what may, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Confess that you will not trade Jesus for silver or gold.
* Declare that you will not bow to any idol, money, position, or wealth but to Jesus only.
* Declare that you will rather live without a blessing that is not from God.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Father, standing on Job 22:27-28, any blessing meant for me since January 2018 that is being held down by any prince of Persia till now, I command them vomited now, in the mighty name of Jesus.