Wonders of Grace

Text: Eph.3:1-8
More Lessons: Zech.4:7
Bible Reading in one Year: Ezekiel 34-36

Scripturally, there are two seasons; law and grace. Grace and truth came through the Lord Jesus Jn.1:17, but law came through Moses. After Jesus died on the cross, grace not law has become God's standard for His children. Most of the time, the New Testament books either open or close with grace, so grace is the standard in the New Testament. Receiving the favour that you do not deserve because of love is what is called grace. It is the opposite of struggle, Zech 4:6, ...nor by power , but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. When a man comes to the giver of grace; Jesus Christ, he begins to live a life of ease and prosperity. Grace is the divine labour saving devices through the Lord Jesus. It is a divine and special virtue given to man by God.

Acts 4:33 talks about a dimension of grace, And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. If ordinary grace can make a man great, what will great grace do? It will make a man to be uniquely outstanding. Moreover, the Bible talks about manifold grace I Pet. 4:10, exceeding grace ITim.1:14, all grace II Cor. 9:8, more grace. Joseph and Paul the apostles were examples of men who enjoyed God's grace (Gen. 39:1-6, Eph.3:8). When a man finds grace, he becomes a wonder to himself and to others for the following reasons:

1. Grace gives a man what he does not deserve, according to Eph. 2:5-6. When we were in sin, weak, poor and far from God, we were quickened together with Christ and raised to sit with him by grace.
2. Grace makes a man become what he should never be (ICor.15:9-10). It is the grace of God that made Paul become an apostle when he should not be. He moved from the chiefest sinner to the chiefest apostle. ITim.1:15
3. Grace enables a man to take what is humanly impossible as Paul did. In II Cor.1 1:24-28, Paul fasted often, was in peril, beaten with many stripes, he was always willing to spend and be spent II Cor. 12:15. And he did move according to I Cor.14:18. By grace he finished the race II Tim.4:12.

Moreover, the primary purpose of the grace of God in a man's life is glory Gal.2:21 to glorify God and His servant and to save sinners. The grace of God must not be taken in vain, it should be used because immediately it is received, one becomes a debtor. So, grace is for a divine usage, profit and to enlarge the kingdom of God to be the best we can ever be! Let me ask you therefore, what grace do you have? What is it meant to achieve? How far have you achieved?

Prayer/Action
* Father, lap all my effort with your grace.
* Let you grace replace every struggle of my life.
* In the name of Jesus, let grace be the opening and closing chapter of my life.

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All-round Glory

Text: Deut. 28:1-14
More Lessons: Psa. 128:1-4
Bible Reading in One Year: Ezekiel 31-33

Our first reading is a vivid description of God's desire for His people. However, the delivery of these blessings depends on your meeting the conditions which are mentioned four times within the short passage (vs.1, 2, 9 and 13). (1) Listen to the Word diligently . This is very essential for knowing who God is, what He wants, what He hates, etc. It will help one to do exploits and deliver one from destruction (Dan. 11:32, Hos. 4:6). It also helps the development of faith and obtaining direction from God, which brings success (Prov.3:6). (2)Be watchful and careful to do ALL. Many hear or are eager to hear but they don't practise what they hear. Partial obedience is disobedience before God (Jam.2:10). However, it is possible to do ALL that God expects you to do by His grace. Paul says, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me: Phil.4:13. You too can do all that God expects you to by His grace.

This is indeed a promise of an all-round glory from the Almighty, the King of glory and giver of grace and glory (Ps. 84: 11, Ezek.16:14). God cannot fail and it’s not His will that any of His children should fail, or be put to shame (Josh. 5: 9) because you are created for His glory (Isa.43:7). For instance, it was said of Abraham that the Lord blessed him greatly in all things (Gen. 24:1, 34-35,2 Cor.9:8). God will make you great as He did for Abraham who obeyed His instructions. Isaac also obeyed, sowed and persevered, and Isaac... waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: Gen. 26:13. Even the people of the land envied him...for thou art much mightier than we: Gen. 26:16. Such glory is also awaiting you.

Even satan reported his failure over Job to God, Hast not thou made an edge about him...all he hath on every side....:(i.e. security) Job1:1. It does not matter what your past and present experiences may be, you can still enjoy all-round glory when God intervenes as He did for Jabez (1Chro. 4:9-10). A fish cannot be in the river and lack water. Get attached to the King of glory by accepting Jesus Christ if you have not done so. If you are in Christ already, note that God has in stock for you unthinkable all-round glory (1Cor.2:9,2Cor .4:16-17).

Take these steps also:
i) Be angry with everything in your life that is short of glory.
ii) Cry to God concerning your situation as Jabez did and became more honourable than his brethren.
iii) Seek His face for concrete steps to take.
iv) Obey each instruction from Him/His servant (Gen.26:12-1, 2 Kgs. 4:3-7).
v) Be diligent in whatever God directs you to do.
vi) Forget the past and believe God to do a new thing in your destiny.
vii) Focus on Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18).
viii) Put your trust in God with whom nothing is impossible and you will experience all-round glory.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that God will replace all your failures and shame with glory.
*Prophesy that this year, you are moving from glory to glory in all areas of your life.

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Step up in Glory

Text: Gen.37:12-17
More Lessons: Gen.39:1-21
Bible Reading in one Year: Ezekiel 28-30

Light looks white when seen, but when light is passed through a medium it becomes colourful. God created His people to be glorious and move on to full glory, but the fullness of glory in all its beautiful colours cannot be seen until it is passed through a medium. A man who refuses to pass through will never get to his destination of victory. This was clearly experienced by Joseph in today's reading. Joseph did not stagnate because he passed through the process for the glory. As you also pass through your divinely chosen process, you will not stagnate in destiny.

What were the things that gave Joseph a step up into glory:
i) His gift and talents. Joseph had natural endowment of dreams and interpretation of dreams. Gen.37:5, 9-11;40:12. His gift was not hidden but declared. Because of laziness and ignorance, a lot of people hide their talents and end up as non-entities perpetually. Do not hide your talents, declare them and use them.
ii) Joseph served readily; he served his father, Potiphar and the prisoners. Gen.37:13; 39:4; 40:6-7. To step up in glory, serve God. It is said that “God loves you because of who you are and He blesses you because of what you do” what are you doing for God?
iii) Joseph knew his opportunities and stepped into them. Gen. 40: 14. Joseph though in prison was not imprisoned in his mind. He had no bitterness against God. He still behaved properly in prison.
iv) Joseph was liberal; he went beyond what he was told and gave wise counsel which stepped him up to the throne. Gen.41:34-37. There are some people with creative and innovative ideas in them but they are not forthcoming with these ideas at work or elsewhere. Such people cannot step up in glory.
v) He was godly in all he did and at all times. Even in the face of terrible temptation, he refused to compromise his faith and obedience to God.
The man that fears God will be promoted by God, though the promotion may delay but as God did for Joseph and he fulfilled his glorious destiny, God will do the same for you!

Prayer/Action
* Lord, do to me all that will cause the faces of glory you have put in me to manifest.
* Joseph did not stagnate in glory, I also will not stagnate.

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All-round Strength

Text: Isa. 40:28-31
More Lessons: II Cor. 12:9-10
Bible Reading in One Year: Ezekiel 25-27

God does not hold back His blessing but gives to all men liberally and upbraids not. He always gives His best and His all, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance: Rom.11:29. He was not satisfied with His Spirit coming upon man intermittently in the old covenant, so He came up with a new covenant where His Spirit permanently dwells in man. In the same way, God gives all-round strength to His people. Finding no one to send for man's redemption, He came down Himself, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth: Jn 1:14.He gave all of Himself to rescue man from the shackles of sin.

After accomplishing this task on the cross of Calvary and it was time to return to the Father; He never left us comfortless, He puts in us the totality of Himself in the Holy Ghost to abide with us forever (Jn 14:16-17). Thus,...we all, with unvailed face, the glory of the Lord beholding in a mirror, to the same image are being transformed, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord: II Cor 3:18 (YLT).

Part of our heritage in God through the work of salvation is all-round strength because there is no iota of weakness or fainting in God, He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength...:Isa.40:28-29. This is to say that God gives all-round strength to those who don't have. God is able to bring increase to your life from nothing as He did at creation when all things were made from things that can’t be seen (Heb 11:3). He has equally given to us all things that we need for godly life through the knowledge of Him, and has shared His glory with us and given us all-round strength (II Peter 1:3-4).

However, you may sometimes experience some moments of weakness in one area or the other in your life and quickly jump into conclusion that you have weakness in such area, forgetting that all-round strength is a function of knowledge and not feelings,...the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits: Dan 11:32. Also, II Peter 1:3 clarifies this truth. Even then people become strong after being weak (Heb11:34). Indeed, the strength of God is made perfect in weakness, so that when we are weak, then we are strong (II Cor12:9-10).This manifold wisdom is paradoxical, and cannot be understood by the devil; for if he had known, he would not have crucified the Lord of glory (I Cor 2:8). Though the resurrection of the dead is sown in weakness, it is raised in power (I Cor. 15:42-43). All-round strength is not a myth after all, but the expression of God’s divine nature in us through His knowledge. I Jn 4:17 makes it more explicit...as he is, so are we in this world. In this year of season of glory, Jehovah's everlasting strength will be manifested in every area of your life.

Prayer/Action
* Declare that God’s strength will be sufficient for you.
* Ask for God’s strength to be made manifest in your weakness.
* Declare all-round strength.

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