Personal Development for Growth

Sunday 31 May
READ: Acts 17:10-12
MORE LESSONS: Lk. 11:1-2

The eternal truth for today is that any one who sincerely desires to grow in the Christian faith must do more than whatever others are doing. Given the circumstances surrounding the end time Church today, the general food from the pulpit will not be sufficient for the proper growth of any believer. The Church today is confronted with two problems: (I) That of a congregation that is too restless to sit and learn and a congregation more interested in survival prayer than revival, in some cases, people even tell the pastors what to preach and what not to. (ii) The problem of the Church not being focused, some have outgrown their capacity to pastor effectively by their slumber and of course the end time spirit that is working so hard to weaken the Church of Jesus by sin, money, politics, distractions etc.

It is therefore important for every growth conscious believer to go an extra mile beyond the pulpit to personally develop himself/herself. If you don't ensure a growth in your Christian life, you will gradually die off although you may still be sounding like brass. The church ought to provide the learning materials, the inspiration and skill, while the individual picks from that point to develop himself. The Berean church exemplified this when, after learning from Paul, they created time to read over what they had been taught and to study further whether those things were true. Also, after Jesus’ public teaching, His disciples came back to Him privately to seek further clarification of what they had been taught in public.

Any believer who truly wants to grow must create time for extra information, reading and asking our leaders questions like the disciples did (Lk. 11:1) on healing (Mk. 9:29), and on Jesus’ parable( Mk. 4:10). Every believer must learn to create time beyond church sermons to study the Bible, fast and pray alone, and do night vigil with their family. You have a responsibility for whatever you want to become in life and destiny, do take up the challenge today.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to lead you to everything you need to become what you need to be in Christ Jesus.
* Pray that the negative spirit and forces of the end time will not be your portion.
* Pray that you will find all it takes and you will give all it takes to grow in your Christian faith
.---Examine yourself critically, locate areas where you need to do more and what you need to do to grow into maturity, and do them.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall remain grateful and hopeful in God, I shall not turn back (spiritual or physical) and I shall reach my goal, in Jesus’ name

Revival Prayer

Saturday 30 May
READ: Dan. 9:3-16
MORE LESSONS: Jer. 29:12-14

The request that a man offers to God will determine the type of answer he gets. Survival prayers will bring bread and butter but may not bring the type that Daniel got in answer to his revival prayer. Survival prayers are about “me”, “mine”, “ours” and “I”, and are mostly about temporal things. The prayer of Daniel in today’s reading differs significantly from survival prayer. It was a prayer of total repentance to the extent that Daniel did not exonerate himself.

He said, We have sinned.... Neither have we harkened unto thy servants the prophets,...: Dan.9:5-9. Then he pleaded,... I beseech thee, let thine anger and they fury be turned away...: v16. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive...: v19. Such must be the prayer of a man who wants to experience revival - it must be deep, truthful, humble and pleading. This is not to say that survival prayers are not good; after all, the Lord taught us to ask for our daily bread. But we must also set aside time for revival prayer, not only for ourselves but also for our family, church and nation. Then there shall be revival and God will save our land.

Revival prayer seeks to restore a man back to perfect union with God. It is the prayer that seeks for the will of God to be done in a man’s life. It goes beyond immediate temporary needs to seeking to bring eternal result. The good thing about such prayers is that they bring other results beyond what is requested. It is one stone that can kill two birds. Revival prayer can bring survival answers along with the revival. You should therefore grow to pray revival prayers more as mature Christians. You must grow beyond asking for your daily bread only; you must also pray thy kingdom come, thy will be done. You must learn to agonise for lost souls in your family and beyond. You must spend quality time praying for your leaders, the nation and divine purpose. This is Jesus’ pattern of prayer and must be yours also.

Prayer/Action
* Today, pray for the revival of the city where you stay and the people you live with.
* Ask God to give you the burden for issues beyond your personal needs and grant you grace to intercede for divine purposes.
* Today, find out someone’s prayer request and take it to the Lord in prayer.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
My joy shall not be short-lived; my glory another will not take and my future shall be guaranteed, in the name of Jesus

Pray for Nigeria

Friday 29 May
READ: Psa. 122:6-9
MORE LESSON: Neh. 2:1 - 8

God is a very present help in trouble (Psa. 46:1). Every individual needs help because as diverse as our faces are, so are our troubles, but we thank God who gives immediate help when we call. It is not only individuals that need help, even nations do; Nigeria needs the help of God. If there is ever a time to pray for Nigeria, it is now. And when you pray for Nigeria, you are praying for yourself, especially if you are a Nigerian, Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee: Psa. 122:6. Your prosperity is linked to your praying for your nation.

Nehemiah has heard about the condition of Jerusalem and is moved to the point of prayer and fasting. After praying for Jerusalem, he goes to King Artaxerxes, still burdened for his nation. We need people that will carry the burden of Nigeria in the place of prayer. The prayer of Nehemiah obviously works because there and then, the king asks him what he wants done. Then Nehemiah does the incredible, The king said unto me, for what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king . . . Neh 2:4-5. When the king asks Nehemiah what he wants, in the twinkle of an eye, Nehemiah speaks to Heaven again before he speaks to the king. I believe he must have prayed, Lord anything I ask this man, let him do it for me. He has done a lot of praying in the secret place before he comes to the king, so he doesn't need hours of prayer in the king's presence. He just does a short prayer and the king goes ahead to give him everything he asks for. Eventually, the walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt by the order and financial support of a heathen king whose own predecessors destroyed the walls. This is because a man prays.

There is help for Nigeria from the Lord but you must not keep quiet. It is time for us all to arise and take the responsibility to pray against evil, terrorism, political unrest, bad governance, economic instability and war in our land. Do not assume that God knows what should be and what will be, will be. Nehemiah doesn't assume that God will just do it; he fasts and prays for his nation. As we stand in the gap for our nation, I assure you there shall be help for Nigeria. The enemies of this nation shall be confounded and Jesus shall be glorified over Nigeria. I see the hand of God stretched over Nigeria today to keep it from evil and to grant it peace and help from above-Say Amen if you believe. Amen!

Prayer/Action
* Pray Psa. 121 for Nigeria and its people.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
The cloud of glory, rest upon me today and give my destiny rest, in the name of Jesus.

Visa to Heaven

Thursday 28 May
READ: Psa. 15:1-5
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 24:3-5

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 (v20) 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 on 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.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Oh Lord, I wait on you, let me not wait in vain and let not my expectations be cut short, in the mighty name of Jesus.