Understanding Life

Saturday 14 March
READ: Job 14: 14
MORE LESSON: Job 14: 1 - 5

I know you are alive, or else you would not be reading this today. Today is a great day to be alive, thank God you are. However, there are some things that I want you to know about this life that you have today.

1. Life is a gift, which God has given to you. There are many people more qualified than you that are not alive today. Your life is a gift from God and, by implication, you are a gift to the world.

2. Life is an opportunity as the dead do not have the chance to make any difference anymore. You are alive and it is up to you to choose what to do with the opportunity of life. In all creation, man has the highest privilege such that every other creation of God envies man. This is the reason the Psalmist queried, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Psa. 8:4. You are a human being, alive; you have the greatest opportunity in all creation, so, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest: Eccl 9:10.

3. Life is short and so you must maximise your time here on earth. If you have this understanding of life, it will make you live with a sense of urgency, Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away: James 4:14.

4. Life has no second chance. For everything you are meant to be and do in life, you have only one shot at it. Life is lived only once and it cannot be reversed or duplicated. Therefore don't waste your life because once you die, know that you are not coming back, ...As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb 9:27. After this life, you have no chance to do what you should do that you don't do or to re-do what you don't do properly.

It is what you do on earth that determines your eternity. This implies that if you do not give your life to Jesus till you die, there is no second chance to come back and make things right. Therefore, it is wisdom to insure your eternity by giving your life to Jesus Christ today.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for wisdom to live a purposeful life.
* Ask God for grace not to live a careless and reckless life.
* Pray that you will not regret this one life that you have.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Memorable, beautiful events will begin to happen in my life this day, in Jesus’ name.

God’s Love

Friday 13 March
READ: I Jn.4:10-11
MORE LESSON: Jn.13:34-35

All men come to this world with a nature that does not love God but self. This is due to the deception of Adam and Eve by satan, which led to disobedience in the garden of Eden. The disobedience robbed mankind of the divine attribute of love for God and replaced it with the selfish love that goes with the adamic nature. But God did not leave man in his fallen state, He reached out to us through His only Son, Jesus Christ. Now the grace to manifest the divine attribute of love was restored to man through the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, by Christ Jesus we now can receive, enjoy and share the love of God.
What is the nature of God's love restored to mankind through Christ?

1. It is a universal love void of tribalism and discrimination. No matter your colour, tribe and background, God loves you (Jn.10:16).

2. It is unconditional (Eph.2:4). Even when man is dead in sin, His love reaches out to him.

3. God's love to the world is practical (Jn.3:16). He demonstrated His love by allowing His Son to come and die, paying the highest price to redeem mankind, And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory: I Tim.3:16. Indeed, great is the mystery of God's love for man; in fact man was created out of love, with love and for love.

4. Finally, God’s love for man is total and eternal, even in the fire (Dan.3:24-25), The Lord appeared of old unto me, saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee: Jer.31:3

God's love is commendable, reliable and dependable. It sustains from the earth to Heaven. Bask in that love as you step into the day. Have a great love-filled day.

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for His love.
* Give God thanks for particularly loving you all these years.
* Ask God to help you love Him as He loves you.
* Pray that you will be able to love others as God loves you.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, let my ordained helpers in any part of the world locate me today, in Jesus’ mighty name.

Be Steadfast

Thursday 12 March
READ: Luke 22:28-32
MORE LESSON: Rev.3:21-22

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a kingdom as my father hath appointed unto me: Lk.22:28-29. These are words of assurance for every believer. God knows the pains, tests and trials we go through to keep the faith. He knows the struggles, fears and troubles we experience because of the faith. In some parts of the world today there is great persecution of Christians, putting pressure on them to renounce the Christian faith. God is aware and He encourages, ...therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord: I Cor. 15:58.

The encouragement to all is to stay steadfast because there's a Kingdom appointed for those who continue in the faith. It’s not enough to say yes to Jesus, accepting Him as Lord and Saviour; one must continue in the faith and endure to the end, But he that shall endure to the end , the same shall be saved: Matt.24:13.

There is divine provision to enable steadfastness in the faith, notable of it all is the prayer of the Lord Jesus, But I have prayed for you that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren: Lk. 22:32. Say this to yourself this morning and be strengthened, The substance of my life that gives me identity with Christ will not be tampered with because Jesus has prayed for me. Be strengthened, in Jesus’ name. This is the crux of the matter, be encouraged when going through hard times because Jesus your advocate stands for you, that your faith will not fail. His blood will fight for you, His name will defend you and His glory will cover you. Be strong, But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you: I Pet. 5:10.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that help and strength will come for all brethren going through persecution worldwide.
* Pray for yourself that nothing will take you away from Christ.
* Ask God for grace to stand in Christ to the end.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
All my hidden stars will turn to rising and shining stars this year, in the name of Jesus.

Vessels of Praise

Wednesday 11 March
READ: Luke 11: 14 -28
MORE LESSON: Ps.89:20-21

Jesus was a vessel of praise. He passed through this earth and many that came in contact with Him gave praise to God because of what flowed from His life. In the reading of today, the life that Jesus lived made many to give praise to God for His mother.
Some people passed through this earth as vessels of disgrace instead of being vessels of praise. By His lifestyle, Jesus gave us clear examples to emulate and be vessels of praise. By the life Jesus lived and by His works He brought blessing on His family, society, and the world. It was glaring and clearly visible for all to see.

Ways to be vessels of praise:
1. Be a problem solver, not a cause of problems.

2. Sacrificially offer to God in substance, service, cash or kind.
Give in relation to what is left, not miserly gifts to God and tag them your widow's mite (Matt. 5:42). Giving sacrificially also means looking around to meet needs in the church, in the lives of God's servants and church members.

3. Worship God in challenges. Anna became a widow just after seven years of marriage and decided to serve God in the temple, worshipping Him with prayer and fasting. She did not rush to remarry as a young widow to satisfy societal or family expectations. She chose rather to serve God in the temple, choosing to please God rather than please herself or others though it wasn't sinful to remarry. She became a permanent vessel of praise as we still read about her more than 2000 years after the events.

4. Avoid secret evil acts that can bring shame if leaked to the public.

5. Mind your company. Don't company with evil doers no matter the pressure.

6. Be careful who you choose as mentor and partner. An unbeliever should not be your counsellor and model.

Finally, live a life of sacrifice and righteousness. Jesus by sacrifice became an eternal blessing. You too can become a reference point by choosing the path of sacrifice for others and a godly life.

Prayer/Action
* Today, as I step out of my house, I will be a vessel of praise and not of disgrace.
* Men will give praise to God because of my life from today.
List five ways you can be a blessing in word, thought, action to people and start doing those things listed.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I receive angelic visitation with great evidence throughout this month, in the name of Jesus.