Bring Down this Jericho

READ: Josh. 5:1-14
MORE LESSONS: Josh. 6:2-5
Bible Reading in One Year: Hosea 5-7

The city of Jericho symbolises the seemingly insurmountable obstacles (sickness, poverty, unemployment) that hinder men from possessing their possession. While Jericho was a visible obstacle on Israel’s pathway, they first had to deal with something in their own lives. The children of Israel had to do three things before confronting the enemy called Jericho.

First, they had to be circumcised (vs 2-5) as a mark of surrendered hearts in which the reliance on the flesh was cut and put off (Rom. 2:29). Circumcision involves putting off of the sinful nature. Your total commitment and consecration are prerequisites for conquering your Jericho.

Second, the Israelites celebrated the passover which symbolises a thankful heart. Beloved, regardless of the obstacles and problems confronting you, have a thankful heart. Eating of manna ended and they received a new and more satisfying food. As you give God thanks and praise for what you are passing through, I see God bringing down your wall of Jericho, in Jesus’ name.

Third, they had a battle plan from God. Josh6:3-5 You need a battle strategy from God to bring down your wall of Jericho. God’s instruction may sound foolish; just obey. For Israel, it was the shout of victory, yours may be different. The Bible has all the battle plans of God for your life; read it, memorise it and obey the instructions. Surely that will make your ways prosperous and you will have good success

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Josh.1:8.
Jericho must fall today!

Prayer / Action
* Lord, send your angel to bring down every wall of Jericho in my life and destiny in Jesus’ name.
* Lord let the power that pulled down the wall of Jericho, come upon the walls of Jericho in my life and terminate them.

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Visa to Heaven

READ: Psa. 15:1-5
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 24:3-5
Bible Reading in One Year: Hosea 1-4

One great desire of many people today is to get an immigrant visa to a developed nation, especially United States of America. Young people in particular are doing anything (negative and positive) to get this visa. But then there is a visa that is far more useful and of eternal value than American immigrant visa: the heavenly immigrant visa, without which you are eternally doomed.

As expected, there are conditions for qualifying for this visa and for retaining it. Some of the conditions are outlined in today’s text:(1) Walking uprightly - without blame (v2). To be blameless is to be without blemish, irreproachable, having no outstanding fault (Psa. 19:13), being sound, having an undivided commitment to God (Deut. 18:13). This implies integrity, sincerity and whole-hearted devotion to God and to His laws (Gen. 17:1; Psa. 119:1). (2) Working righteousness (v2); righteousness means goodness, the act of doing right and having a right standing before God, without which no man can qualify for Heaven. (3) Speaking the truth from the inward part (v2) which is speaking the truth from the heart (Psa. 12:2; Isa. 29:13). (4)Being free from backbiting (v3); all seekers of heavenly citizenship must abstain from slandering other people, speaking evil or falsely accusing others. (5) Not doing evil to others (Rom. 12:17). (6) Receiving no reproach about neighbours (Psa. 15:3). A Heaven seeker does not gladly repeat an account of or rejoice at another man’s misfortune. (7) Not keeping the company of evil doers rejected by God (Psa. 1:1,4). (8) Keeping one’s word even to one’s hurt (v4; Lev. 27:10). (9) Not taking advantage of one in need to increase riches (v5). (10) Refusing bribe (v5) because it aids corruption. (11) Protecting the innocent (v5).

Today, make a conscious effort to walk by these principles and let others see you as a sincere icon of righteousness and angels with their beauty and music will celebrate your approval and eventual entrance to Heaven. When life is over on this side, where will be your next abode for eternity?

Prayer / Action
Take a thorough study of the following scriptures and use them to pray for yourself:
* Psa. 15:1-5
* Psa. 1:1-3.

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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.

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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?

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