Reason to Sing

Thursday 10 March
READ: Psa. 40:1-5
MORE LESSON: Psa. 124: 1-8

Apparently, there are many things men consider in order to make merry and such include success in an examination, safe delivery of a new baby, birthday and wedding ceremony, among others, ... is any merry? Let him sing psalms: Jam. 5: 13. When you talk about making merry and singing to the Lord, a lot of people think it is until they get a new job or when any of the things listed above happens. However, there are things for which, when a man considers, he shows sincere gratitude to God with a joyful heart.
One thing to think about is to remember where you are coming from. Anyone will be qualified for joy, singing and making merry should he just remember where the Lord took him from. If you will think about yesterday and remember your beginning, you will think of singing psalms and rejoicing. Whatever is your condition today, think of where you are coming from and your heart will be merry.
In thinking about your past, it's also important that you think about your colleagues that you started together with. Ask yourself, ‘Are they dead or living?’ “Are they happy or just pretending to be happy?” Just look around your life. How many of your colleagues are truly as happy as you are? How many of the people you started primary school with are still alive? The people you started together with may not even be dead but you will realise that you are not the most backward; you surely are not behind as you think.
Also, still considering yesterday, ask yourself, “If God had not been on my side, what or where could I have been today?” Remember some crucial stages when if there was no intervention, it would have been a different story. The psalmist simply looked back and remembered the 'horrible pit, the miry clay’ (v2), the many wonderful works, and thoughts and he declared: … if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered:v5. Count your blessings today, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. I have a reason to give thanks; I hope you do too.
Just by recounting our past experiences everybody needs to make merry and sing songs of praise to the Lord.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you never to forget His goodness.
* Tell God you are grateful for all things and believe in His love to make you a symbol of testimony for the rest of your life.
Renew your decision never to stop believing Him in all circumstances.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
As the path of the just is as a shining light that shines more, so shall my path shine more and more unto the perfect day, in Jesus’ name.

Holy Access

Wednesday 9 March
READ: Matt. 4:1-10
MORE LESSON: Psa. 24:7-10

Of all the sense organs of the human system, the loss of sight for me is the most traumatic, especially for the blind that once saw. You lose the beauty of colours, scenery and God's blue sky and deep blue sea. The blind man has no access to anywhere except by aid. In our Christian journey, we are empowered to have access to God every moment of the day for as long as we are correctly connected to Him.
Any time we are disconnected from God, satan takes advantage to lure us into ungodly acts. In our passage for today, satan wanted to give Jesus an unholy access. In Matt.4:9, satan told Jesus, ...all these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me…. Did Jesus say satan didn't have them? When Jesus wanted to answer, did He say satan lied and that he was not the owner of all the glory on the face of the earth? No, He left it for another day to pay back. After He died on the cross of Calvary, the Bible says the veil of the holy of holies tore open providing a holy access. Jesus then followed up to hell to take back from satan the very key he ceased from Adam in order to release the saints that were held captive from the days of old (Psa. 24:7). No wonder the Bible says when Jesus resurrected, in the city of Jerusalem they saw the saints that died walking on the streets (Matt.27:51-52). People identified them. The glory that satan said was his own and he needed Jesus to worship him for a lease, Jesus went down to hell and got it from satan by the instrumentality of His shed blood. The moment He died on the cross of Calvary and paid the price, He walked up to satan and said, “I have paid the price”.
When a man pays for a product, the product goes home with him. Jesus got to the door and said “I have possessions inside” and He began to quote the Scripture. In verse 7 of our second passage, Ye everlasting doors symbolise all benefits that are shut out of your destiny in their large number by satanic forces. I command them to be lifted that the King of glory may come in. If you want your destiny to open, open the door. Your success is at the door. Your breakthrough is at the door. Your glory is at the door. The manifestation of God is at the door, your children are at the door, your financial manifestation is at the door, just waiting for you to say, “be ye lifted, ye everlasting doors”.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for strength and divine direction to your destiny.
* Because Jesus has paid the price, command satan to hands off all that belong to you.
* Command the gates to open and your inheritance be released today.
* Ask God to grant you access to all the doors that have ever been shut against you.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I overthrow every appointment with death in this month, in the name of Jesus.

Blessed Indeed

Tuesday 8 March
READ: Lk. 19:1-9
MORE LESSON: 1 Sam. 12:3-4

Recently, I noticed a common misconception of what exactly a blessing is and who can be said to be blessed. This argument, I observe, is both within and outside the Church of Jesus Christ.
Before you proclaim your marriage a blessing, ask yourself how you entered into the marriage. Who did you push out to come in? What lie did you tell to get your partner? The number of children you have is not the first test but ask yourself whether you have paid the dowry. Is there a hidden unconfessed matter about your marriage?
Before you declare your bank account or business a blessing, let us ask you, Who did you cheat to get the money? It is not how many cars are in your compound that define your blessing but how they came. How much of what you have can you truly account for? It does not matter how philanthropic and generous you are. Anything that has a lie attached to it cannot bring a lasting joy and it is also not a true blessing.
We are not doubting the possibility of true riches or enduring happiness (blessing) but the source determines its worth. Happiness that does not originate from God will not last and therefore cannot be said to be a true blessing.
Apostle Paul, writing to the Philippians, says, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, … whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things: Phil.4:8. Every acquisition without a root in God will end like Zacchaeus’ who thought he was a blessed man until he met Jesus and discovered that he had been living on stolen things. Thank God he was granted mercy.

Prayer/Action
* From a sincere heart ask God for forgiveness and mercy over any questionable “blessings” in your possession.
* Ask for the help of God to shun questionable gifts and offers no matter the attraction and need.
* Ask God for riches that is devoid of the enemy’s addition.
* Command the release of godly blessings that add no sorrow.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall walk in the light of His Word and nothing shall by any means offend my destiny, in the name of Jesus.

True and False Repentance

Monday 7 March
READ: II Cor. 7:8-11
MORE LESSON: II Cor. 5:17

One of the reasons we have what is generally called fake/false believers in Church today is because of false repentance. A lot of people merely raise their hands in response to altar calls in church or crusade ground, start going to church as regularly as they can and even join church workforce and that is all. We then begin to call them believers until they start showing their true colour; then we say they are false brethren. I think it is an undue honour in the first place to call them brother/sister, because they are never truly saved in the first instance. True repentance involves a change of life, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death: II Cor. 7:10. True repentance has to do with changing your view of what sin actually is. To a true believer, sin is not a pleasure but an act of disobedience to God which has grave consequences. When this change of opinion produces a corresponding change of feelings, and one’s opinion is that sin is disobedience and not a pleasure, this is true repentance. Paul the apostle called it …godly sorrow…. II Cor. 7:10. To one who truly repents, sin looks very different when compared to him who has not repented.
To a truly repented man, sin does not look desirable or fascinating, it looks odious and detestable. In fact, a truly repented person remembers his old acts of sin with great sadness and sorrow; a false convert will publicly sin but inwardly wonder why and struggles with disobedience. Repentance is first a matter of the heart, hating the nature of sin and then followed by a change. I think where someone professes to be saved and yet argues with Christian character, he has a problem with the foundation. Every truly repented believer must have no problem accepting and obeying God's law of righteousness. Ask yourself, Have I truly repented of my sins or am I just a camouflage Christian? Remember, there is no sinning Christian in Heaven, you are either a sinner or a Christian.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the marks of a sinner will not be found in your life as a believer.
* Pray that you will be a true example of the life of Jesus here on earth.
* Release the Spirit of Christ-likeness upon your life.
* Check your wardrobe and your heart, whatever makes you look like an Egyptian, remove it today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
The strength of sin and error is hereby broken over me today by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus’ mighty name.