A Seed for your Miracle

READ: II Kg. 4:1-7
MORE LESSONS II Kgs. 17:2-16
Bible Reading in One Year: Obadiah, Jonah 1-4

Often when you need a miracle from God, your whole attention is drawn only to what God can do. However, you need to realise that for every miracle, there is the aspect of what you have to do either to make the answer come or to quicken or fast track the answer. For every miracle we expect from God, we have a responsibility and a role to play. In today's study, the prophet asked the widow that came asking for a miracle and help, What do you have in your house? The widow like us never expected such a question. When looking for a miracle we just except results without considering what we can do or give to provoke God to action. The same thing happened between Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. When Elijah said bring me…a morsel of bread, quickly she responded, …I have not a cake but an handful of meal…. I Kg. 17:2-16. But reluctantly she obeyed the prophet's instruction, and that was it, her miracle of provision manifested beyond her expectation.

The disciples of Jesus too needed a miracle to feed the five thousand in the desert where they had been running a healing crusade for days. Because they had no solution, they told Jesus to disperse the crowd but Jesus said they didn’t have to go away, ...give ye them to eat. Matt. 14:16.. Then they brought what they had, five loaves and two fishes just as it occurs in Jn. 6:9, the contribution was from a little boy and again thousands ate with twelve baskets left over. Even for Moses to step into his destiny God asked what he had in his hand and he had to drop it before he saw a miracle.

Am sure there is a seed in your hand that God is expecting you to drop as your contribution for a miracle, no matter how small. It may or may not be money; it could be service, a material thing, etc. no matter how small or expensive to you, just to provoke God to speedily release that which you have been waiting for. If the Zarephath woman or the prophet's wife refused to contribute what was in their house, would the story be the same today? Today, sow a seed for your performance and provoke Heaven to do something extra ordinary in your matter. Give and it shall be given to you. Give a seed for your miracle.

Prayer / Action
* Ask God to help you not to withhold the key to your miracle.
* Pray that whatever seed you are sowing today will provoke an answer from Heaven.
* Ask God to help you discover what that "little thing" is that you need to sow.

Like and share

Vessels of Praise II

READ: Luke 8: 1-3
MORE LESSONS: Mark Luke 21: 1-4
Bible Reading in One Year: Amos 7-9

We are considering being a vessel of praise and today we will see things that a man can do that will make him become a vessel of praise unto Jehovah. And it came to pass afterward, that He went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: AND THE TWELVE WERE WITH HIM, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance: Lk. 8:1-3.

In the text, Jesus had twelve disciples who were with Him when He was preaching the good news. These disciples became vessels of praise simply by following Jesus around. Without these twelve the gospel wouldn't later have gone abroad. So a man can become a vessel of praise by giving his life time for God’s service.

Certain women that Jesus healed were also mentioned who were always ministering to Him. Some of these women’s names were mentioned, others were grouped as 'many others. . . .' but they all ministered to Jesus. You can become a vessel of praise by taking note of what is lacking in the lives of ministers of God and taking out of your substance to meet their needs When God blesses some believers they usually hide behind the pretext that,'There is nothing we can give to thank God enough', and they truly give nothing. That is no correct reasoning, As a vessel of praise you should give God what you have.

The widow in the Bible gave two mites, it was the least but that was her all and the best. What is left after you have given to God is what determines the quality of what you have given and whether it can be called your best or not. A vessel of praise will never come empty before God; he will always bring Him his best.

Another widow was the old prophetess Anna who was serving God with fasting and prayers.(Luke 2: 36-38)She was married for just seven years when she became a widow, probably without a child. But she stayed in the temple and worshiped God with fasting and prayers. She didn't give in to self-pity neither was she fasting for money, husband or children but rather she gave herself to worshiping God with fasting and prayer. That woman was a vessel of praise. With all the challenges you are facing in life, are you still worshiping God? This woman was an example of worship by fasting and prayer instead of fasting for needs. You can become a vessel of praise by creating time to fast and pray for God’s work and people. It is another form of worshipping God that brings praise to Him. I pray that you will be a great vessel of praise to God in Jesus' name.

Prayer / Action
* Help me oh Lord to ever give my best to You.
* Father, may the challenges of life never becloud my cheerful giving in Jesus' name.
* God gave you His best, what have you given Him thus far?

Like and share

Vessels of Praise I

READ: Lk. 11: 27-28
MORE LESSONS: Acts 3: 6-11
Bible Reading in One Year: Amos 4-6

A vessel of praise is one whose actions causes men to praise God. Jesus was a perfect example of a vessel of praise by His works and His words. In the main text, Jesus was teaching and doing miracles and a woman was so impressed that she could not but burst out saying; Blessed is the womb that bare thee… Lk. 11: 27. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it: Luke 11:27-28. Jesus by His work caused praises to go forth. There are also vessels of disgrace. When people repeatedly make negative statements to God and man because of your actions, you are a vessel of disgrace.
Children who are well taught but living contrary to the teaching and causing people to make negative remarks about their parents are vessels of disgrace. May you be a vessel of praise in Jesus’ name. You become a vessel of praise by providing solutions to problems.

If you solve problems anywhere you find yourself even when not called upon you will be remembered as a vessel of praise. Some people only cause problems anywhere they go making themselves so difficult to get along with. Such people will also be remembered for that. In life being a vessel of praise or of disgrace is a choice. Everyone will be remembered for something. The good that a man does will speak for him while he is alive and even after he is dead. In the same way there are those who will be remembered for the problems they caused.

Today I urge you to make the choice to be a vessel of praise- be the reason why somebody is happy and praising God every day from today. There is a reward for being vessels of praise.

The little boy whose lunch pack was used by Jesus to feed 5,000 people obviously has God’s reward and may be the owner of the 12 basket left over! Paul says: and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not: Gal. 6:9. It is wonderful to be a tool of blessing. Jn. 6:9-11.

Prayer / Action
* Decide to always be a vessel of praise to your generation.
* Ask God for forgiveness in whatever way you were a vessel of disgrace.
* Make up your mind to solve problems of at least two people today.

Like and share

Bearing Fruits

READ: Gal. 5:13-26
MORE LESSONS: Matt. 7:15-20
Bible Reading in One Year: Amos 1-3

Every tree is known by its fruit, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith: Gal. 5:22. A mango tree cannot produce an orange fruit nor can an orange tree produce a mango fruit, For every tree is known by his own fruit: Lk. 6:44a. The character and acts of a man will always tell who he is on the inside. The best way therefore to prove a man is by his works, deeds, words and behaviour. These tell who a man is because they are the fruits of a man's life. The proof of a believer is in his character.

One man of God once said, You cannot eat rice and vomit pounded yam. A good man cannot produce bad works nor can a bad man do good works. A believer will bring forth only godly acts proving who he is on the inside and a sinner will do sinful things naturally, Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit: Matt. 7:17. So don't expect good from a sinner no matter how pius and a believer should not have a reason for evil sinful acts under any circumstance.

What is the secret of righteous living? Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit: Matt. 12:33. Redemption by the blood of Jesus is the only way to plant a good tree in a man's life. With Jesus in a man's life, the tree is good and the life will be good. Any time the acts recorded in Gal. 5:19-21 are found in a believer's life, that believer has heard a word for such tree, Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire: Matt. 7:19. What type of tree are you and what fruit do you bear?

Prayer / Action
* Ask God to remove from you any character that is contrary to Jesus.
* Command every satanic tree in your life to catch fire.
* Receive grace for godly living.
Lay your hands on your head and begin to prophesy to your destiny to bear godly fruits from today on!

Like and share