Continuous Assessment

Sunday 1 November
READ: Lk. 15:1-10
MORE LESSON: I Cor. 11:27-29

Success in life can be maintained by a continuous assessment of one's performance. It is not wise to keep doing things without periodic evaluation to make room for improvement. Jesus’ parable about the lost sheep and the lost coin is interesting because of what the shepherd and the woman individually did to get back what they lost. The price each of them paid was high. The shepherd had to leave ninety-nine secure sheep in search of one lost sheep. The woman had to light a candle and sweep the whole house in search of the lost coin.

What I really like about these two people is that they both recognised that they had a loss. The shepherd who had a hundred sheep suddenly realised, by continuous assessment, that his sheepfold was less by one. The woman also, by continuous assessment, realised that she lost a coin. You must periodically examine your life and what you are doing to see if all is well. There are blessings that the Lord has given you that you must keep monitoring to ensure that you don't lose any. Learn to check your spiritual life to see if you have lost any virtue.

For example, it was not in your character to get angry or tell lies, but suddenly you realised you are easily provoked, and that you exaggerate easily. Another situation could be that you have suddenly discovered that you lust easily or that you have become materialistic. This means there is an emergency and you need to go for spiritual evacuation. Like the shepherd and the woman in today’s examples, look for whatever you have lost at all costs and you will get it back. It is very dangerous for you to wait until God to examines you Himself, because judgement may follow as it was for Nebuchadnezzar, TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting: Dan.5:27. That was why Paul admonished, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves...: II Cor.13:5. This was in contrast to David’s cry in Psa. 26:2, Examine me, O LORD, and prove me.... The good thing to note here is that ... if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged: I Cor. 11:31.

Again, recent medical discoveries have proved that a regular medical check is a better guarantee for long life than treatment against sickness. This is also the same in the academics; a student who is successful in continuous assessment is not likely going to be a failure. So in whichever area of life, a continuous check is a guarantee for well-being. Have you had a spiritual check up today?

Prayer/Action
* Ask that God will not hide your true spiritual state from you.
* Tell the Holy Spirit to maintain a continuous x-ray of your spirit man all life long.
* Ask God to restore all your losses in life and cause you to recover fully.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, it’s the eleventh month, thank You for the privilege of seeing today, in the name of Jesus.

Empty-Handed

Saturday 31 October
READ: I Cor. 9:16-23
MORE LESSON: Ezek. 3:1-7

There is a song I grew up singing as a young believer in the Deeper Life Christian Ministries. Each time I sang it then, it was always with a passion and a burden. The burden and passion have not left me even now. The song has become a prayer and labour, something I pray about daily and work at. Sing it with me this morning and pray about it: Must I go an empty handed, thus my dear redeemer meet, not one soul with which to greet Him, must I empty handed go.

You know why the song hits me so much each time? It is because of my knowledge of God's great investment upon my life, the price that Jesus paid to save a wretched one like me. It makes me cry to Heaven: Oh Lord, don't let me return back home to You like an ingrate, empty-handed. Only an ingrate or an ignorant person will go to Heaven without a soul in his hand with which to say thank you to Jesus. Think of His sacrifice of putting on humanity although He is God, the humility of subjecting Himself to earthly parents yet the Father of all; the Creator of motion learning to crawl. Imagine Him before Pilate answering framed up charges as an accused. What about the soldiers slapping Him, spitting on Him and mocking Him?

Have you ever thought of Jesus in Gethsemane? He manifested humanity and made a request that could have been positively answered by the Father. However, He tasted denial and although He prayed with sweat coming out like blood, He never got it. All these just to purchase my forgiveness. With all that done for me, I will be wicked to refuse to tell sinners (friends, classmates, relations and neighbours) about life in Christ.

The only proof of appreciation that you and I can give Jesus is not to keep quiet while sinners go to hell. We must tell them, if by any means we shall be able to snatch some back to God and get to Heaven with a gift of souls.

Prayer/Action
*Ask God to forgive all your indifference to soul winning and to give you passion for sinners.
*Tell the Lord you will not go to Heaven empty handed, by His grace.
Set a target of how many souls you will win for the Lord this year and begin to work at it NOW!

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Keeper of Israel, thank You for keeping and preserving my destiny from the wickedness of the day and the night all through this month, in Jesus’ mighty name.

Refuge from the Heat

Friday 30 October
READ: Isa. 4: 2- 6
MORE LESSON: Psa.105:7-15

In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel: Isa.4:2. This exciting verse in today's reading shows God's wonderful plan for all that have escaped the wrath coming upon the unsaved. They have become the branch of the Lord and firmly attached to Jesus Christ the true vine. I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman, every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit: Jn.15:1-2. God has made adequate provision for His children to be beautiful and glorious in this world. Such provision is what Isaiah the prophet clearly expressed in today's reading; that God creates for His people a cloud and smoke for protection. God is protecting you as a branch on the Vine.

In these times that many people's hearts are failing them because of fear of the known and unknown, God has created for the dwelling place (homes) and assemblies( church and other fellowships) of His people a cloud, fire, smoke, cover, and refuge from the heat of the times. He did it for the Israelites when they were journeying from Egypt through the wilderness to Canaan, the promised land. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people: Exo.13:21-22. And for sure the Israelites got to their destination. He who did it for the Israelites will do it for you. Just make sure you are His and you will get to your divinely ordained destination, in Jesus’ name.

What will these elements do for you as you journey in this world? 
1. The cloud of His presence will lead you. The more you fellowship with God daily, the clearer your path will be and you will enjoy divine guidance. 
2. The fire of His Spirit will light your path, destroying all that make themselves your enemies and detaching demonic forces that want to cling to you. Activate this by praying in the Holy Ghost at least 15 minutes daily. 
3. The shadow of His secret place, (Psa.91:1) will be for you a refuge and fortress from evil snares, plagues and pestilences, arrows of the day and the terrors of the night. Activate this by cultivating a regular quiet time/ devotion time that cannot be taken away by being busy with work or school and surely, A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your hand; but it shall not come near you: Psa.91:7.

God's protection is for both day and night; 24/7 He keeps His own. Rest in Him as you go about your work today and throughout the year.

Prayer/Action
* I am a branch firmly attached to the Vine; nothing will harm me, in Jesus’ name.
* Lord, let the shadow of Your presence and glory be a cloud, fire and refuge for me and all my loved ones.
Recite Psa.91 triumphantly and praise God for doing what He says.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
My hope is built on Jesus’ the Solid Rock; I shall not fear tomorrow, in the name of Jesus.

Manual of Life

Thursday 29 October
READ: Jn.5:39-47
MORE LESSON: Mk. 7:13

All religions of the world have one thing in common: a special book considered to be holy and containing instructions for everyday life from a ‘divine deity’. This special book impacts the culture and even determine the entire lifestyle of its devotees, who are required to diligently study and sometimes memorise portions until the words become part and parcel of their lives.

In our text, we see that this is not the same in Christianity, which is not a religion, but the way of life. The pages of the Bible are not given to us to be flipped through as religious requirement for spiritual accreditation by an impossible-to-please deity or anything of that sort. The Bible is carefully scripted and crafted by the inspiration of Almighty God. It is the creator’s manual for effective living. In the Bible are spiritual capsules for living above the circumstances and forces of life. The Bible is God’s given manual for unending victory and success. As an anchor is to a ship, so is the Word of God to our souls. Those who hold on to the Word of God for life are the most successful people alive. And when I make reference to success in life through the Word, I am not referring to material prosperity alone. I’m talking also about a balanced and complete package, full of health, fulfilment, joy and a fire wall of defence round about.

But I have seen a terrible thing under the sun. Wicked men who hate the name of Jesus Christ have selected and adopted principles and doctrines taught in the living book and are succeeding by the same, yet those to whom the Word of God is given have lost its efficacy and power because of their traditions, their ordinary way of thinking, and their logical conclusions drawn from the circumstances around their lives or family beliefs. A good example is the principle of giving as taught by the Scripture. In fact, sometime ago, ten of the richest men alive, most of who were unbelievers, met one day and decided that they would spend half of their wealth on orphans, widows and the needy because they realised one secret of wealth they all shared in common: the act of giving.

More than two-third of all the parables our Lord Jesus teaches in the Synoptic Gospels are on finances and giving. We cannot afford to just read the book; we must also live by the Book!

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your life will focus on God’s Word on living and directive.
* Pray that you will handle every circumstance of your life by the Word alone.
* Promise God that from today, you will live by His principles in everything.
* Declare that the principles of God’s Word will never fail you.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall finish 2015 well and strong, nothing missing, nothing lost, in the name of Jesus.