Honour over Pharaoh

READ: Exo. 14:2-5
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 124:1-8
Bible Reading in One Year: Matthew 9-12

Among other things, there were two major reasons why God wanted to intervene in the case of Israel's captivity in Egypt. First is the need to keep His promise to take the descendants of Abraham to Egypt and bring them out on eagle's wings, thus proving His faithfulness to Abraham, And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, …afterward shall they come out with great substance: Gen.15:13-14. Second, God wanted to prove His greatness in Egypt and be honoured over Pharaoh.

How was God honoured over Pharaoh? He did this by:
1. Fighting on the side of Israel until Egypt was defeated, Exo. 14:14.
2. Dividing the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass, Exo. 14:21-22, 29.
3. Troubling the host of the Egyptians, Exo. 14:24.
4. Taking off the wheels of the Egyptian chariots so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptian: v.25.
5. Closing the sea on the Egyptians, vs 26-28.
6. … and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore: v.30
7. Making Israel see the great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, v31.

May the Lord do the same and more also over your satanic captivity and enslavement this year. May He make you see your pharaohs dead. May He make you see His great work on all your Egyptians until He is fully glorified and honoured over your enemies. Amen.

It is God's honour to take advantage of your challenges and troubles to prove to the world how great He is and turn your tests to testimony. Do not despair therefore when you pass through diverse troubles. They are simply an avenue for God to be honoured, and so shall it be over all your travails, in Jesus' name.

Prayer/Action
* Take each of the seven acts of God in our text to God in prayer. Ask Him to do same to every enemy of your destiny.

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Holiness is Beauty

READ: Ps 93:1-5
MORE LESSONS: I Chron.16:29
Bible Reading in One Year: Matthew 5-8

Whatever gives a deep sense of admiration or deep satisfaction is said to be beautiful. Holiness is one thing that gives God such satisfaction. God is attracted wherever holiness stands just as any man is attracted to anything beautiful. Therefore, holiness is one means of attracting God to your life as God never gets tired of it. The more of it God finds anywhere, the more attracted He is to such.

Enoch attracted God to his life by holiness until God had to take him home to Himself, by-passing the natural process of death, And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him: Gen 5:24. It was holiness that attracted God to Noah when the people on earth were sinful, ready for judgement, …Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God: Gen.6:9. It was holiness that qualified Mary to carry the pregnancy of the holy seed, Jesus, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us: Matt 1:23. Elizabeth and Zaccharias were barren and well stricken in age, but the Bible records, …they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless: Lk. 1:6-7. Joseph was righteous before God and the favour of God followed him everywhere he went (Gen.39:8-9), including the prison. The list is endless.

Holiness is a spiritual gain because it strengthens integrity, character, honour, sound mind and of course, good health. All these are more of benefits to man than God and therein is the beauty of holiness. Holiness attracts good testimony, it delivers from guilt and fear of eternity. If you desire all these, go for holiness, ...it always has."Beauty" and "Holy" mark your palace rule, GOD, to the very end of time. Ps 93:5(M.S.G)

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you live a holy life.
* Pray against every anti-holiness spirit around you.
* Pray that your life be pleasing to God by the incense of holiness.

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Godliness is Possible

READ: 1Tim.3:14-16
MORE LESSONS: 2Cor.5:17
Bible Reading in One Year: Matthew 1-4

Godliness is possible because Jesus came to the world. You now can have God come inside you, live inside you and act through your personality. You can partake of the divine nature and become a genuine son of the living God. When Jesus was born into this world, He was God in human flesh, that is why His name is Immanuel, God with us. Jesus was the only man who walked the face of the earth without committing a single sin, …for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me: Jn.14:30; …was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin: Heb.4:15.

By the time Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He became the Author of eternal salvation for all who believe in Him. When He was on the earth, He said, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him: Jn. 14:23. Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour transforms your life completely and gives you the power of sonship, But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Jn.1:12. The sonship, in addition to the power of the Holy Ghost that comes upon you, empowers you to be whatever God wants you to be, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth: Acts 1:8.

Therefore, godliness in a believer is made possible by the power of redemption in the blood of Jesus which changes your life and character to behave like God. If indeed you carry the life of God by redemption, your life must be the life of God, and your fruits will show it. If you are born of God, live like God.

Prayer/Action
* Give thanks to God for making godliness possible.
* Rebuke every act in your life that runs contrary to the life of God.
* Ask God to help you live like Him on the earth.
* Ask that sin will not have dominion over you.

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Prayer Pillars

READ: Acts 4:23-31
MORE LESSONS: Jam.5:17-18
Bible Reading in One Year: Proverbs 29-31

A pillar is a load carrier in a building or structure. Without strong pillars a great house or structure cannot stand. A pillar therefore is the main strength of a structure. A pillar is called by whatever material it is made of, hence you have concrete pillar, pillar of cloud, pillar of prayer, wooden pillar, etc. Like any strong building, the Church of Jesus needs strong pillars to stand among them, one of which is prayer pillar. The prayer pillar in any church is the intercessor, individual or group. The New Testament Church did not survive without it and no church of God today can survive without it. A church is strong to the extent of its intercessors or individuals lifting the church or its pastor up in prayer because the work of God moves on the wings of intercession. Therefore, where there is no intercessor the work drags and suffers great setback no matter what else is done. The glory of the New Testament Church is her prayer pillar.

The early Church prayed:
1. In Every watch hour (Acts 3:1).
2. As an apostolic band (Acts 4:23-31).
3. And the building shook (Acts 4:31).
4. And the earth quaked (Acts 16:25-26).
5. And the prison doors opened (Acts 12:1-11).
6. Without ceasing (Acts 6:4).
7. Until something happened (Acts 12:5).
8. And changed the world (Acts 17:6).

The greatest need of the Church today is men and women who will raise prayers up to Heaven for the Church and her pastors. Are you one of them? The recruitment exercise is still on, join those who lift Moses’ hands up and not those who criticise everything that is done in church. Whatever we do to a church or in a church building has eternal reward.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that God will use you in the place of intercession to make a difference in your church and in the world.
* Pray that God will raise faithful intercessors to pray for your church and world evangelism.
* Pray for your spiritual leaders.
* Make a covenant never to close your service or family altar or personal prayer time without a prayer for your spiritual leader.

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