Anti-Christs celebrate Christmas?

Friday 25 December
READ: I Jn. 2:18-25
MORE LESSON: Matt. 21

There have been questions about the definite date of Christmas, whether Jesus was actually born on 25th December or not. Some biblical scholars believe that Jesus must have been born on 18th August. Some say March 28, while others insist it is November 18th. Even the year of His birth is in dispute. Moreover, it is said that Christmas did not begin as a Christian festival, that it was a pagan celebration rebranded a Christian festival by pagan converts and accepted by the Church as an incentive to encourage the pagan idol worshippers to accept Christ. The argument still rages on till today.

However, whatever the argument, two things are not in doubt. One, that Jesus was born is not in doubt and that is great enough. Two, that Christmas is beyond date; it is the celebration of a man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Every other story is mere academic rhetoric. If the argument today was that Jesus is a myth, that He was never born or that He never lived, instantly both Christianity and Christmas would collapse. But thank God, Jesus once walked physically on the planet earth, in Jerusalem to be precise. He was born, lived, died, resurrected and ascended to Heaven and is coming back soon.

Unfortunately, there are more people who celebrate Christmas as occasion for fun and festival without any contact with Jesus, the real reason for the season. True, to hate or deny Jesus and still celebrate His birth is the height of disservice to oneself and a terrible satanic deception. Only the ignorant and the unlearned will do that. The Scripture reading of today describes anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ as an anti-Christ and a liar. So how does an anti-Christ celebrate the Christ he opposes and denies? Unfortunately, there are more anti-Christs celebrating Christmas today.

The question is, Are you an anti-Christ who celebrates Christmas or are you Christ-like? Many of us will hate to be called anti-Christ yet by the simple definition of John the beloved, anybody who denies that Jesus is the Christ is an anti-Christ even if he goes to church and celebrates Christmas with others. I ask you once more, Who are you at Christmas and beyond? Be a true celebrant, invite Jesus into your life today and Christmas will be meaningful for you to celebrate. HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for the rare gift of Jesus. 
* Give thanks to God for the work of redemption Jesus came to do for mankind. 
* Pray for the countless crowd that will be celebrating Christ today without Christ in their lives, that before the next Christmas they will encounter Christ. 
*Tell someone about Jesus today by word or action.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
As the star of Jesus prevailed over the night and was unstoppable by the worse enemy, so shall my star prevail over my night and I shall be unstoppable in glory, in the name of Jesus.

Enduring Gift

Thursday 24 December
READ: 1 Sam 1: 11 - 28
MORE LESSON: 1 Sam 2: 20 -21

Hannah sought God for a child. Then she promised God that whatever child God gave her, she would give the child back to God. When she gave birth to Samuel, she brought back Samuel to the Lord. Samuel, through that singular act, became a gift to many generations. Samuel would have just been a hero in Hannah's house but when he was handed over to the Lord, he became a blessing to the nation and all generations. God also blessed Hannah with many more children such that there is no loss in her life as a result of the child that she gave to the Lord. No one has ever lost by giving to God; only blessing, increase and greatness come out of giving to the Lord.

Trinity Broadcasting Corporation (TBN) is one of the largest Christian media houses in the world. The man who started the media house shared his testimony: when he finished high school and needed direction on what to do next, he went to a man of God for prayer; and the man of God laid hand on him and told him to go to Bible school. So while others were going to university, he went to Bible school according to God's instruction. However, after the school, he fell sick with rheumatic fever, it was so bad that the doctors told him that he would not survive it and if he by any chance did, he would be paralysed through life. Then God came on the scene and healed him. He started a Christian programme to celebrate God for healing him and named the programme ''Praise the Lord!”. He would bring several ministers to speak and preach for free on his programme. He then started paying for television time for other ministers to preach across the world. He graduated to having his own television network where he would bring ministers worldwide to preach for free. The great television network we celebrate today started as an act of appreciation to God.

Isa 60:15 says, Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. God wants to make you a joy and gift to many generations. There is a gift in you that can affect nations and generations. However until you hand over the gift to the Lord, it will remain locked inside. Like Hannah in the Bible and the founder of TBN, there is something you can give God which He will take over and make into a gift to many generations. You can offer service or take an assignment as an appreciation to God, none can tell how far it will grow. Whatever little money, effort or time you give to the Lord in appreciation will grow to become a great blessing to many.

Prayer/Action
* Promise God you will not take His blessings without being a blessing.
* Ask God for the grace to live a life of gratitude.
* Promise God something you will do this year for all His goodness to you.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Son of God, as we celebrate the eve of Your birth, cause me to celebrate the end of every long lasting pain in my destiny, in the name of Jesus.

12 Holy Healthy Habits II

Wednesday 23 December
READ: Prov. 3:8
MORE LESSON: Psa. 91

The Bible rates health right very high on the list of importance (3 John 1:2). Man's mind, spiritual nature, and body are all interrelated and interdependent. God gave health rules because He knows what is best for the body (Deuteronomy 6:24, Exodus 23:25). A bondservant of Christ should eat and drink all to the glory of God, using only "that which is good" (Isa. 55:2, 1Corinthians10:31). If God says something is not fit to eat, He must have a good reason. He is not a dictator, but a loving Father. All His counsels are for our good. So if God withholds a thing from us, it is because such does not benefit us (Psa. 84:11). Let us see a list of 12 holy and totally healthy habits dug up from the Word of God:
1. Eat your meals at regular intervals (Ecc.10:17).
2. Don't overeat (Prov. 23:2, Luke21:34).
3. Make mealtime a happy time (Eccl. 3:13).
4. Don't harbour envy or hold grudges (Prov. 14:30, Matt. 5:23,24).
5. Balance work and exercise with sleep and rest (Exo. 20:9,10, Ecc. 2:22 ,23; 5:12, Psa. 127:2).
6. Keep your body clean (Isa. 52:11).
7. Avoid all harmful stimulants. 
8. Bury body waste to avoid disease (Deut. 23:12-13).
9. Avoid eating animals that are strangled (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
10. Avoid eating animals that die by themselves (Lev. 17:15; 22:8, Deut.14:21, Ezek. 4:14).
11. Do not eat animal fat or blood (Gen. 9:4, Lev. 3:17; 7:23-27; 17:10-14, Deut. 12:16).

Note: Recent scientific studies have confirmed the fact that most heart attacks result from a high cholesterol level in the blood and that the use of fats is largely responsible for this high level. Also, the blood can transfer diseases. Science is just catching up with the Bible.

12. Put full trust in the Lord (Proverbs 4:20-22;19:23).
God's counsels and rules are always for our good, just as good parents' rules and counsels are best for their children. God holds us accountable (James. 4:17). The reason for restricting our diet is because we are the holy children of a holy God (Deut.14:1-3).

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for appropriate provision and food consumption.
* Repent of any abuse of food.
* Pray that God will provide food for the needy.
Share your food with somebody today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
He that keepeth Israel shall keep me; He shall not sleep nor slumber for my sake and underneath me are the everlasting arms, so I shall not fall, in the name of Jesus.

12 Holy Healthy Habits I

Tuesday 22 December
READ: Gen. 1:29
MORE LESSON: Rom. 8:1-13

The first chapter of the book of Genesis contains not just facts and figures of the story of creation but also God's recommended feeding habits for mankind. The diet God gave people at the beginning of creation was fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. Man was created by God to live on three dimensions. As a spirit, he lives in a soul and has a body. And throughout Bible days and even contemporary times God is seen to be greatly participating in the spiritual, soul, and bodily wellbeing of His children. God gave us His Word and His Spirit to nourish our spirits; He gave us His love, joy and peace to nourish and renew our minds and also gives us timely instructions on how to live in good hygiene and health.

The Christian walk has been greatly misunderstood by some people to be strictly a spiritual voyage, given directions only for the spirit dimension of man. On the contrary, the Word of God is full of healthy feeding and living habits that even science has found to be the best way to live. Scripture - obeying people are the healthiest on earth because the Bible is balanced with wisdom and nourishment for the total man. Jesus is ready to break the shackles that bind us (John 1:12). He longs to set us free if only we will permit it. Our worries, evil habits, nervous tensions, and fears will be gone when we do His bidding (Phil. 4:13). He says, These things have I spoken unto you ... that your joy might be full: Jn.15:11. The devil says freedom is found in disobedience, but this is falsehood (Jn. 8:44). Take all of these habits to Christ and lay them at His feet. He will joyfully give you a new heart and the power you need to break any evil habit and become a child of God (Eze.11:18, 19).

Divine healing is God's responsibility to us but divine health is our responsibility to our bodies. The Scripture is very clear about what your body really is, the temple of the Holy Spirit! Therefore, it must be handled in the most holy and honourable way by us, in a way that is suiting to the Lord of this temple (1Cor.6:19). If this body is a temple, then we cannot afford to perform harmful experiments like smoking cigarette because it is not a chimney, it is a temple!

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to empower you to conquer any bad eating habit.
* Pray that by what you eat, you will never defile God’s temple that is your body.
* Ask God to heal you of any disease you might have developed out of disobedience to biblical healthy directives.
Take a decision to stop any bad eating habit today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I prophesy that I shall not end this year in sorrow or shame. I shall be kept under the pavilion of Jehovah’s wing where my safety and defence is sure, in the name of Jesus.