All Tears shall be Wiped Away

READ: Luke 7:11-16
MORE LESSONS: Matt. 11:5
Bible Reading in One Year: Job 35-37

God wants joy and laughter for His people. He wants to end sorrow in your life, wipe away all your tears and fill your heart with joy. Any trying condition you are going through now is temporal, For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning: Psa. 30:5. There is therefore no need to worry about the future; standing on God's unchanging Word, your future is secure.

The woman in our text is a widow with only one child, who is everything to her. However, one day the boy die. Her future, hope and joy are dashed because of the boy's death. As the mourners are on the way to bury the child, they meet Jesus the resurrection and life. Filled with compassion, Jesus raises the boy from the dead, thus wiping the mother’s tears. In 2014, everything (your business, finance, career, health, marriage, ministry, spiritual life) that is dead, receive life, and your tears wiped away.

A look through God's unchanging Word assures us that there is nothing you are passing through at the moment that somebody somewhere in the past or in the present has not conquered by God's divine intervention. If they conquered, then you will win. God, who delivered Samaria from lack and shame (2 Kings 6: 24-31), gave children to Hannah who wept bitterly because she had no children (1 Samuel 1; 1-2: 1-9), restored the sight of blind Bartimeus (Mark 10: 46-52), gave the Shunammite woman a child and restored him back to life after he died (2 Kings 4: 11-37), healed the woman with the twelve year issue of blood (Mark 5: 25-34), delivered Daniel from the lions (Daniel 6: 10-32), will deliver you from trouble. Believe God! God comes to the help of those who call on Him. He will intervene in your situation. This year, all your tears shall be wiped away.

Prayer/Action
* Command every situation that has made you cry to expire today.
* Ask God to wipe away your tears and give you joy.
* Declare that in 2014 you will not weep.

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Disaster Free Year

READ: Psa. 91:1-16
MORE LESSONS: Job 1:6-9
Bible Reading in One Year: Job 32-34

It is possible that 2014 may have some challenges, but God's divine will for His children is to have a year free of disaster. Disaster is defined as a sudden accident or a natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life. In the Old Testament, God permitted natural disasters such as flood (Genesis 6: 11-23; 7: 1-24) to destroy all living creatures on earth except Noah, his family and the animals that he took into the ark because of sin and disobedience. The Lord caused the earth to swallow Korah, Datham and Abiram, their families and belongings because of their rebellion against Moses and Aaron His servants (Num. 16: 1-34). Any kind of rebellion against God and His ordained servants displeases God and can attract a natural disaster upon a nation or an individual. Be warned.

Satan (Job 1: 6-20, 2: 1-9) and his agents such as blood sucking demons, terrorists, suicide bombers, etc are forces of disaster. We must pray against satan and all his agents for a disaster free year. Man, out of wickedness (Esther 3: 7-15) or carelessness (Acts 20: 7-10), can bring disaster upon a nation or self. Our generation is a living witness to global warming that has caused bad changes leading to gradual degradation of nature all over the world. Natural disasters like desertification, drought, flood, etc which usually result in famine have been linked to global warming. But your nation can be free of these natural occurrences. Plane crash, road accident, flood, drought, earthquake, outbreak of disease, fire outbreak, etc are some of the disasters that have destroyed lives and properties in the past few years. These natural disasters can be averted in 2014 and beyond through prayers.

If you have put your trust in Christ and you are walking in righteousness and holiness, you have divine defence, which covers your household and all that you have. The Bible says that God made a hedge round about Job and all that he had such that satan could not touch him (Job 2: 1-9). It was only after God gave him permission that satan brought disasters upon Job. That was in the Old Testament before Jesus died on the cross and shed His precious blood for us. In the New Testament, our defence is surer than that of Job, For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God: Col. 3: 3.

To enjoy this sure defence against disaster, be sure you are born again, walking in righteousness and holiness, living by faith, appropriating the promises of God in His Word, walking in wisdom, taking precautionary measures about your safety. Above all, commit your entire life into the hand of God and trust Him to take care of you.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for the grace to live a sin free life and stay above disaster.
* Pray against any planned disaster by satan in 2014.
* Plead the Blood of Jesus as a cover over the new year.

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Widows and orphans

READ: Job 29:11-16
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 68:5-6
Bible Reading in One Year: Job 28-31

One of the issues that are emphasised in the Bible is the divine directive to help widows, orphans and the less privileged. There is a divine commandment to everyone not to deprive the fatherless of justice, or deny widows their rights (Deut 24:17). In sum, God's Word instructs us to be fair in our dealings with people, especially widows, orphans and the less privileged in the society. God is concerned about His children, and He is much more attentive to widows and orphans (Jn.14:18)because God does not leave His children comfortless.

Though the widows and orphans are always on God's heart, how often are you burdened for them? When last did you encourage a widow or orphan with your kindness? I urge you to renew or make a commitment to the widows and orphans around you. Pray more for God's grace for them, minister to them out of your abundance, speak for them where their voice cannot be heard, encourage them, etc. God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love shown to them in His name (Heb 6:10).

A widow was once encouraged not to lose heart after the demise of her husband. She was told that her husband was only a bread winner and that God the bread giver will always be there for her. Based on that, she was asked to pull herself together and cheer up. She responded by saying, I know God is the bread giver but I am afraid there is no one out there to win the bread for me. Avail yourself the opportunity to be a bread winner, under God, for a widow and orphan around you because God wants to use what you have to ease their burden. Make yourself available for one today and, ...by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men: 2 Cor. 9:13.

To the widows and orphans out there, since God presents Himself as a Father to the fatherless and a defender of widows (Ps 68:5), you are in a place of God's special grace and His grace shall be sufficient for you!

Prayer/Action
* Call to mind the widows and orphans that you know and intercede for them.
* Pray that the church will not experience an increase of widows and orphans.
* Pray that God raise helpers for every widow and orphan looking up to Him.

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Nothing Failing

READ: Ps. 90:14-17
MORE LESSONS: Gen 47:15
Bible Reading in One Year: Job 25-27

Except God establishes the work of a man's hand, the efforts and struggles involved in such work are bound to fail. Without enlisting God in it, the journey of twelve months is too far for anyone to make alone without encountering failure and frustration. No wonder the Psalmist says, Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain: Psalm 127:1.

Sometimes things don't go the way we want. A promising marriage moving to the brink of failure, the loss of job because of 'downsizing', the weather ruining one’s crops, wasted harvest, the loss of a dependable friend and loved ones, wasted academic effort, etc. These situations are evident of failure and wastage which most of the time are beyond our comprehension because of the contrary forces that are at work against us. The only factor that saves a man from failing or wasting away is God Himself. If nothing must fail or waste, you must consciously allow God to champion your life course for it is written, …for by strength shall no man prevail:1 Sam 2:9.

Our text says that the economy of Egypt was so bad that even money failed (Gen 47:15). However, when God helps a man, it doesn't matter how bad things are, God will make a way of escape to actualise His will for you. Whoever God empowers cannot fail and whatever He blesses cannot waste. For God therefore to prosper your work this year, ask Him to empower you for success, fruitfulness and increase.

More importantly, set the Lord always before you and live by His instructions so that you can be lifted above failure and wastage. May you not fail or waste away in the year.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to empower you not to fail.
* Pray that your health will not fail this year.
* Pray that nothing you do this year will amount to a waste.
* Rebuke all forces of failure and wastage militating against you.

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