End Time

Thursday 21 May
READ: Matt. 24:1-13
MORE LESSON: Matt. 24:31–44

The disciples of Jesus were fascinated with the beautiful architecture of the temple buildings in their time and wanted the Lord Jesus to share their fascination. However, Jesus’ response was an awakening to the disciples and one of the greatest teachings of all times on the issue of end time, And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown: Matt. 24:2.
Men all over the world are like the disciples in this passage as they tend to think that this world is forever, and that everything about man's existence ends here. But the earth is a transient place that will eventually be destroyed with fervent heat and fire. The real world where men will live forever is in eternal Heaven or eternal hell. No wonder it is said that the world is just a market place, we will all go home one day.

Signs that will usher in the rapture of the saints and Christ’s second coming are being fulfilled gradually before our eyes. Three of the four gospels tell of Jesus' description of the end time events. In addition, the book of Revelation describes the events in some detail (although not completely in a sequential order): false christs (Matt. 24:5), wars, famine, earthquakes (Matt. 24:6-7), tribulation of believers (Matt. 24:9-10) and the preaching of the gospel to all nations (Matt. 24:14), among others.

We are in the final dispensation to end the Church era here on earth. Jesus is emphatic about this, verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled: Matt. 24:34.What attitude should you have to the end time?

1. Do not neglect the issue of salvation as some did in the days of Noah (Heb. 2:3, 10:26-29).

2. Refuse to be offended or hate others (Matt.24:10). Several will miss Heaven not because they are not saved but because of unforgiveness, bitterness and malice. Refuse all such.

3. Refuse to be deceived (Matt. 24:5,11,24). Several herbalists now use the internet to peddle their deception. Avoid wolves in sheep’s skin.

4. Stay fervent, refusing to be lukewarm as Jesus says He will spit out the lukewarm person. Refuse to be lukewarm. Be prayerful, focused, evangelistic and relevant.

5. Finally, endure to the end (Matt. 24:13). The saint that endures to the end will not miss the rapture. Get ready!

Prayer/Action
* I choose to be in the number that will make Heaven, oh Lord, save my soul.
* I receive the right attitude of readiness for the rapture of the saints. I will not be left behind.
---List at least 5 things you can keep doing to be rapture – ready and do them conscientiously daily, evangelism is one such things.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon me and I shall not put forth my hands into iniquity, in the name of Jesus.

Possibility Mentality

Wednesday 20 May
READ: Mark 9:14-24
MORE LESSON: Mk. 6:5-6

One of the pre-requisites to receiving help is to have a mindset that always sees possibilities. Possibility mentality is an attitude that opens the door of help from Heaven. A man will not seek for help to do something until he first believes that he can do it. It is only what you have resolved that you can do that you seek for help to do. Possibility mentality is a language of faith and without faith it is impossible to get anything from God, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is: Heb. 11:6. So the first step to doing the supernatural, even those that you have never seen anybody do before, is to agree that you can do it. I want you to agree with God and His Word that it is possible for you to do that thing which you desire to do.

You need to know that greatness, good results, success and the anointing are not the exclusive right of a few. All you need is God’s help to access them. Each time I see my fathers in the faith preach the Word with great power and manifestations, I say to myself, This is not an exclusive right to them. I can also get it from where they got it. This is the kind of thinking Peter has when he sees Jesus walking on the water. While some disciples are busy screaming that it is a spirit and others are evaluating and interpreting the situation, Peter says, ...Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you: Matt 14: 28.

There are many in the boat but only Peter is helped by the Master to walk on water; and even when he starts sinking, the Master helps him up. Possibility mentality truly releases help from above. In our reading today, Jesus makes His disciples to understand that they too can do what He has done but they must have faith, ...If thou canst believe, all things are possible.... v23. Although Jesus is talking to His disciples it is the father of the sick boy that gets the message and quickly cries out, ...Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief: v24.

Whatever has seemed difficult or impossible, I want you to see it with a mind of possibility: think it, believe it, imagine it, dream it, talk it everywhere, pursue it, pray it and create it. The help of God is coming to you to achieve your desire today. If anyone has done it, you can do it. The people that did it have only one head like you, not two heads. Even if no one has ever done it before, you can do it because of the help of the Lord.

Prayer/Action
* Reject the spirit of doubt, fear, negative and impossibility thoughts in any area of your life now, in Jesus’ name.
* Command the spirit of faith and soundness upon yourself now.
* Say to yourself, I receive the spirit of possibility.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall not be cut short; I will not go to untimely grave, and as the days of trees, so shall be my days, in the name of Jesus.

Speaking in Tongues

Tuesday 19 May
READ: Jude 1: 20
MORE LESSON: Rom. 8:26

I know of a woman who had never been to school and couldn't speak English. She wasn't born-again till her son, who was a pastor, died. When her son died, instead of becoming bitter, she decided that she was going to dedicate her life to her son's God. So the following Sunday she went to church, got saved and was baptised in the Holy Ghost. She was uneducated but she began to speak in tongues. The typical uneducated woman was shouting, Oh God, my God, I will praise You, I will give You glory and honour in Queen's English. After she finished speaking in tongues, the people around spoke to her in English but she didn't understand a word of it. She replied in her local dialect, What are you saying?

Every believer can and should receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. It is a promise meant for all believers, And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues: Mark 16:17-18 (NIV). It is not right to think that speaking in tongues is a gift reserved for some. There is a difference between speaking in tongues, which is meant for all believers, and the gift of diverse kinds of tongues, which the Holy Spirit operates through some believers as He wishes. The gift of diverse kinds of tongues is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit where a person receives an immediate supernatural ability to communicate in a language (mostly another earthly language) that they didn't learn naturally. There are several testimonies of men that go to a place and under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, they start preaching in the language of that location without having learnt it before; that is the gift of diverse kinds of tongues in manifestation. It is not every believer that has this gift but every believer can and should speak in tongues. The analogy to this is that all believers have faith but some believers are further graced to have the gift of faith.
Every believer should harness the power of speaking in tongues. When you speak in tongues, you speak mysteries to God and settle issues that you don't even know about (1 Cor. 14: 2). When you speak in tongues your spirit man is strengthened to be strong in the Lord (Jude 1: 20) and you disband demons and wage war against the enemy (Eph 6: 18) . Through it you connect with the Holy Spirit and other gifts of the Spirit begin to find expression in your life. I pray that you will not be found lacking in any good gift, in Jesus’ name. Speak the supernatural language to the supernatural God and your life will transcend the natural.

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
* Ask God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of a new tongue.
* Ask God for fresh in-filling of the Holy Spirit and power.
Spend a minimum of 30mins to pray in the Holy Ghost daily.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall shine more and more and no force of darkness shall be able to stop me,in the name of Jesus.

Persistence

Monday 18 May
READ: Matt. 15:22-28
MORE LESSON: Matt. 15: 22

The story of the Canaanite woman shows how you can get anything through persistence.
She needed healing for her daughter at a time when the era of ministering to the Gentiles had not come. She could have claimed that Jesus was not going to heal her daughter because she was a Gentile but she neglected the barriers and asked the Lord to have mercy on her. She knew that the Lord is merciful and always willing to help. I want you to know that it is God's will to meet that pressing need you have if you do not give up.
This woman cried to Jesus, O Lord, thou Son of David . . . verse 22. She acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah. When many Israelites who were the children of the promise didn't believe or accept Jesus as the Messiah, she already knew Him as the Messiah, the only One who had the answer to her prayer.
You will persist with God only when you believe that He alone holds the answer and solution to your problem.

The woman cried to the Lord but the Lord didn't answer a word; however, she wasn't deterred. She kept crying after Jesus and the disciples. The disciples wanted the Lord to send her away and probably tried to but she refused to leave. So the disciples begged Jesus to send her away or do something because, as they said, ...she crieth after us: Matt 15:23. They had to report her to Jesus and that was what she actually wanted; she wanted the attention of the Master. When she got it, the first thing she did was to worship Him (verse 25). Your persistence should not only be in asking the Lord but also in worshipping Him.

Don't stop worshipping the Lord because you have not got what you want from Him; in fact that is the time to worship Him more. Jesus told her, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs: Matt 15:26. This is where many people would have left in anger but the woman knew that it takes humility to be persistent. Jesus was not being derogatory here, rather He was testing the woman’s humility in persistence. It takes humility for a man to go back to a place where he has failed before and start all over again, not minding whether people mock him or not. The woman answered, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table: v27. Jesus knew she had passed the test of persistence and He answered, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt . . . Persistence was counted as faith to the woman. You shall acquire your desire if you perspire and do not retire but re-fire.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that all the blessings due you will get to you today , in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God for grace to persist in the place of prayer and not give up.
* Pray against every obstacle that can hinder you from getting the blessing God has for you.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
My portion is with the great; I shall not be less, in the name of Jesus.