Fellow Labourers

Text: Phil. 2:19-24
More Lessons: Acts 28:13-15
Bible Reading in One Year: Acts 1-2

Co-labourers are people appointed by God to fulfil their destiny through supporting their leader to do what God has appointed him to do. This way, both the appointed leader and his fellow workers/helpers fulfil destiny by working together although in different capacities. In the wisdom of God, no one church/ministry/assignment is raised to be headed by two persons side by side. Just as there is no human with two heads, in God's order, it is usually one leader, many followers. Any assignment, human or spiritual, that is saturated with competitors will fail, but where there are co-labourers, success is sure.

Every leader should deliberately pray for co-labourers in his/her assignment. A leader should also watch out for who is a co-labourer around him and draw such closer for greater collaboration. Among other things, co-labourers are people who:

1) Handle every assignment as though it is theirs personally, they do the work as if it is theirs.
2) Do not wait to be instructed or supervised to get the work done.
3) Never do eye service – whether the boss is present or not, they do whatever is required.
4) Work without attaching any condition to their service. They serve with little or no incentives.
5) Go extra mile – they are not restricted in service, they do as much as will bring result.
6) Are of absolute commitment – they are prepared to sink or float with their assignments.
7) Believe in and carry the spirit of their leader.

The ministry of Paul the apostle, though very tough and challenging, was made easy by the gift of men and women who were co–labourers, supporters, givers and helpers of all time, such as Timothy and Epaphroditus who Paul refered to severally as brothers, fellow workers, fellow soldiers, messengers and ministers (v25); they nearly died for the work (v30). Are you a co-labourer or a problem in God's Kingdom?

Prayer / Action
* Ask God for team spirit in every area of your service in His Kingdom.
* Pray for the grace to satisfactorily love God and His work.
* Pray that God will send faithful co-labourers to His vineyard.
* Examine the seven steps above and ask yourself, under God, which of them you lack.
* Give thanks for the ones you have and pray that you will increase in them.
* Take practical steps on the ones you consider lacking in your life.

Pass the Baton

Text: Acts 1:1-2
More Lessons: John 9:4
Bible Reading in One Year: 2 Kings 23-25

The book of the Acts of the Apostles opens with a statement, what Jesus began to do and to teach. It is important to note that Jesus did not just teach the Word and the ways of God, He first did it before teaching it. However, we are made to understand here that He only began the process of doing and teaching the Word. He has commissioned us disciples to continue what He began and bring it to a conclusion at the end of the age, when He will come back to gather in the harvest and reward His servants.

The book of the Acts is an account of how the early apostles continued with the task of world evangelism. The baton has been passed on from one generation to another. The book of the Acts is still being written and it is now your responsibility to add your chapter in this generation. As a person, in what ways are you going to partake in what Jesus began? What are you going to do to bring the harvest to a conclusion? Remember, you can pray, give, sing, teach, witness, contribute your skills and talents. You can give your money and house, expertise, e.t.c. so that the kingdom of this world might become the Kingdom of our God and His Christ. Pass the baton on with all you have and possess, it will not be in vain. What are you going to do for God in your generation?

Peter was a fisherman yet he made contributions that cannot be forgotten. Matthew was a tax collector, Luke was a physician and Paul was a professor emeritus. All of them made their mark.

The disciples ran errands (Matt. 21:2), Simeon the Cyrenian helped carry Jesus’ cross (Luk. 23:26), Joseph of Armathea provided His grave (Luk. 23:51-53). The Galilean women provided the perfume for His burial. What will you do with His grace upon your life? What will you do for your God and Saviour?

Don't be a waster of God’s glory upon you, don't be a bench warmer in destiny, it is time to be a kingdom participant by active participation not as an on looker and a consumer.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to anoint and use you to be part of those who will continue what Jesus began to teach and to do.
* Ask God to lead you to a definite contribution to His Kingdom this year.
* Pray that you will not keep away from God whatever you have that can advance the Kingdom of God.

I see Jesus II

Text:II Cor. 3:11-18
More Lessons: Mark 14:24-31
Bible Reading in One Year: 2Kings 18-22

In all our doings, we must remember that the eyes and ears are doorways into the mind. The things that the eyes see and the ears hear form the images that fill the mind. Nothing influences the thoughts and imaginations like what we see and hear. This is why God asked the prophet Jeremiah, what do you see? (Jer. 1:11) And two verses later God asked him again in Jer. 1:13. God admitted that the prophet saw well and He would hasten His word to perform it. It is what we see that God hastens onto performance. Whatever we do not imagine, God may not perform. It is one thing to just mutter words to God in prayer and it is yet another thing altogether to pray with a heart that is full of faith and focused on the desired result.

The life that will enjoy continuous answers to its heart desires is the one that has a picture caption of the future it wants to create. What we desire, we see and what we see, we perceive, and our perception creates passion to pursue a designated purpose until it is created for us. The word of God is full of God's big pictures for your finances, family, faith and career. As we hear the word of God, faith comes, (Rom.10:17). And when we see the word of God as a template for living, it creates the future we want to feature in. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. I hear people say, “it's tough to believe”, but I say, as light sends darkness away without argument; the greatest key to breaking doubt and releasing faith is focusing on the personality and power of Jesus.

As long as Peter saw Jesus, he walked on the water. The moment he began to see the storm more than he saw Jesus, he began to sink. Focusing on Jesus, not yourself or the storms of life, will keep you afloat and walking on the water.

Imagine what your life will look like, if you started focusing on what God has to say about your life. We must begin to renew our minds to the point that when next we face a turbulent storming situation, we ask ourselves, ‘if Jesus were here, would He run for His life or walk on this turbulent waters?’ See what Jesus would do and do it.

Prayer/Action
Thank God because he has given to us plainly, the mysteries of the kingdom that the world cannot.
Pray that no person, circumstance or thing will be strong enough to erode the image of Jesus away from your mind and spirit.
Ask the Holy Spirit to brood over your mind and create Christ consciousness in you.
Confess that no matter the storm you face, you will not miss sight of Jesus in the storm.

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I see Jesus I

Text: Matt. 14:22-32
More Lessons: John 12:21
Bible Reading in One Year: 2Kings 15-17

We cannot underestimate the power of vision, desire and imagination. The imagination is the picture-producing part of the mind in the human soul. The things we imagine today determine what we will eventually achieve tomorrow. The pictures that are formed in our imagination shape our desires and release the passion required to pursue those things that have been conceived in the mind. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...: Prov. 23:7 This means that the real measure of a person's worth is not determined by the amount of money and influence he has but it is a function of the nature of his thoughts. Everything we see today started with a thought. When in the beginning God said, let us make man in our image; He was sharing His thoughts with the other two Persons of the Godhead; the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Look at the result of that singular thought today. Creativity and invention are really about what possibilities you create for yourself in your imagination.

Imagination is the seed for manifestation. It is on this principle that faith works. Whatever we want to experience we have to first believe in our heart and mind that it is possible by faith We must create and allow pictures of the desired output to occupy our minds until they control our words and actions so much that they come to pass. This is why the hallmark of Christianity is to see Jesus. Peter learnt this lesson while walking on a turbulent sea at Jesus’ command; he lost his focus on Jesus and began to sink. The Bible confirms to us that the moment he took his eyes off Jesus and saw the winds, he began to sink.

Walking in the supernatural power of God is only possible to those who will see Jesus rather than their pain and difficulty.

(Heb.12:2) As we see Jesus we find strength to overcome all the burdens and shame until we ascend the throne that God has set for us. Whatever miracles Jesus wrought we are empowered to do more if we fix our gaze on His finished work on the cross and never stop believing. It was this mind that was in Peter. He told himself, ‘if my master can, then I can too’ if you fix your eyes on the possibilities that are in Jesus, they become your possibilities too.

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for giving us a perfect model of victory and breakthrough in Jesus Christ.
* Ask in prayer that the eyes of your understanding will be enlightened so that you will see and walk in what the resurrected Christ has done and finished for you.
* Pray that God will grant you power to keep looking at Jesus for everything, everyday of your life.
* Declare that in every area of your life where you have sunk before, you are now walking on the turbulent waters of life.

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