A Good Time to Praise

Tuesday 30 August
READ: Acts 16:22-28
MORE LESSON: Eph. 1:3-4

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praise unto God: and the prisoners heard them: Act. 16:25. Is this how we react to hardship? Most of the time when trouble overwhelm us, we only plead with God for deliverance from the suffering, for healing of disease, for provision, for success and for God's quick intervention. We don't always remember to do as Paul and Silas did from the depths of jail cell, to offer thanks for God's loving-kindness, neither do we offer praise to God for giving us life and the blessed promise of eternal life.
There is this story of a man called Terry Waite, a courageous British negotiator during an international hostage crisis who went to Lebanon to arrange the release of prisoners. But he was also arrested and detained in solitary confinement. And through his long, lonely days and nights, not sure whether his life would be spared or not, he offered a prayer written in 1596 by Queen Elizabeth I. He expressed most humble and hearty thanks for manifold mercies so abundantly bestowed upon him as well as for God's preservation, regeneration, peace, gifts of seasons and times and great mercies exhibited by God in Jesus Christ.
When we do as Paul, Silas and Terry Waite did, we will surely get the result they got. It is sure that there are situations of life for which we find it difficult to thank God. But at that time, the best thing to do is to remember God's mercies of the past, give Him thanks for them and leave the present situation for God to handle as He did before.
Through the account of Paul and Silas, it is sure that one thing that makes God respond to men's situation quickly is praise and worship. Note that the Bible says, And suddenly... You need God's quick intervention: you need to do the unusual like them. You need to quit crying, murmuring or looking for men's connection to overcome the problem and worship like these apostles did. If you do it with the whole of your heart, you can be sure, the angel of the Lord will open the prison door and bring you out immediately (Acts 5:19). When we acknowledge God's great mercies, we are able to offer Him praise, even in pain and difficulty because praise comes naturally when we count our blessings.

PRAYER/ACTION
* Father God, there is no situation of life that You cannot handle, therefore I praise You.
* Thank You Father for Your unlimited mercies over my life.
* Oh Lord, I judge You able even in my present situation.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I am moving forward, I will not retreat, I will not go backward, I will gain speed more and more, in the name of Jesus.

Tired about What?

Monday 29 August
READ: Isa. 40:18-31
MORE LESSON: Isa. 40:31

One of the things the world is struggling with right now is how to overcome and cub stress. People are easily fatigued and tensed probably due to stress. Stress, fatigue and lack of rest are major issues confronting the working class of any society today. It is as if we don't have twenty four hours again because by the end of the day, you still find out that you have not finished what you planned to do that day. This is despite the fact that you have stretched yourself so much in the day.
Our choice today is not whether we will experience weariness or not, but what we will be weary about. Some people experience so much stress as a result of worry, fear and bitterness. Nothing saps a man of strength and agility like worry and fear. So to overcome weariness and stress, we must overcome sins that easily beset us. Heb. 12:1 says, ... let us lay aside every weight..., worry, fear, unforgiveness, bitterness are weights that easily sap people’s strength. On the contrary, we must exercise patience, which conserves strength and energy, makes a man feel fresh at all times and is the secret of strength in trouble. When we allow the Lord a place in our daily issues, negative feelings will no longer dominate us and we can use our God-given energy to serve God in areas we are capable. Our Creator also anticipates weariness in His finite creatures and promises to renew our strength if we wait on Him.
God's people sometimes suffer fatigue and even exhaustion and today's reading acknowledges that. He also understands that our need for strength like our need for food, is not a once for all provision; it is often needed. Someone said, “Ïf you are weary in life's race and driven by its hurried pace, then learn to wait upon the Lord: His strength will be your sure reward”. We must know that God gives strength in proportion to the strain. No wonder, the Bible says, God will not tempt us beyond that which we can bear, but will provide a way out of every difficulty situation. Prov. 3:5 says, Trust in the Lord all your; lean not unto thine own understanding. As you lean on the Lord, depending on Him for all your strength, you will begin to discover such tremendous strength and might that is far beyond what man can understand.

PRAYER/ACTION
* Father, thank You because I have an unfailing strength in You, in Jesus’ name
* I refuse stress and weariness of the body and spirit, in Jesus’ name.
* I put on my full strength and from now I will never be weak again, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Jesus, You are the light that the enemy cannot comprehend, continue to shine through me, in the name of Jesus.

Always the Same

Sunday 28 August
READ: Psa. 119:89-96
MORE LESSON: Matt. 24:35

But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you: I Pet. 1:25. Apostle Peter was making us to understand that each time the gospel is preached, eternal impact is being made, which is capable of doing what God can do because the Word of God is God (Jn. 1:1). It is not just that the Word of God is eternal, it is not also subject to any form of change, For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven: v 89. But we know that life is constantly changing. People change their minds, prices change, medicines and medical treatments change, fashion, treatments, government, music, appliances, seasons, houses and cars keep changing. Some changes are good and progressive, but some lead to insecurity, frustration and confusion.
However, it is reassuring to know that God and His Word are always the same. God never changes His mind. He will always do what He promises in His Word. You can trust the Word of God in any situation. If the Word of God says you are healed, there is no missing it. If the Word of God says you are blessed it is sure. God, the Word of God, cannot change because it is perfect, The law of God is perfect, concerting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple: Psa. 19:7. The Word of the Lord cannot change because it is pure ... the commandment of the LORD is pure: Psa. 19:8b. The Word of the Lord cannot change because it is sure; ...all his commandments are sure, they stand forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
Moreover, the changes we experience do not confuse Him because He knew they were coming. He is eternal and sees the future as clearly as the past. But if we must make it in this changing world, where things are changing very fast and almost faster than the speed of light, we must depend on God's changeless Word. His promises and principles are your security as you follow this unfailing guide through life. We must live our lives every day as the psalmist did. He said, I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word: Psa. 119:16. As you hold to the unchanging Word of God in the ever changing world, you are sure to make it.

PRAYER/ACTION
* Thank You Father God because You will fulfil all Your promises to me.
* God’s Word has never failed and it will surely not fail in my situation.
* The Word of God is sure and self fulfilling.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Lion of the tribe of Judah, thank You for being true to Your name all through this month, continue to be a terror to the enemies of my destiny, in the name of Jesus.

God's Kingdom

Saturday 27 August
READ: Rom.14:17-19
MORE LESSON: 1Pet.3:12

The Kingdom of God is far more than we think and much more simple than we can imagine. Paul the Apostle gave us three components of God's Kingdom on earth.
1. Righteousness, which means, doing what is right, good and excellent. Anyone who professes to be a part of God's Kingdom must do what is right at all times. He must not be involved in destruction, bad acts or live hypocritical life.
2. Peace: this is an undisturbed state of mind, absence of conflict, and serenity. Heb.12:14 says, Follow peace with all men.... This implies that anyone who claims to be a member of God's Kingdom must always strive to be at peace with all men. The expectation of the Scripture is, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men: Rom.12:18. Children of God must not love strife, trouble making, division and pain for other people. A peaceful heart and life is a proof of God's presence in a person's life.
3. Joy in the Holy Ghost, the third attribute, is very crucial because joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Ghost. Having joy is an indication of a good relationship with God and people. One of the things God always ensures His children have is joy (Jn 16: 23-24).
If a man is able to serve God with these three great attributes of
the Kingdom, some benefits accrue to him. These benefits include:
1. Acceptability to God: the man has free access to all things.
2. Approval of men (Matt. 3:16-17). A man approved of men will not need to struggle to serve God among men.
3. Peace (good for edifying one another. (Rom. 15:1-3).
Beloved, this list summarises all that the believers should strive to be on the earth, and Heaven will not take anything less.

PRAYER/ACTION
* I destroy anything that is capable of taking me out of the Kingdom, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, turn me to a spiritual magnet to attract and retain every blessing You send my way, in the name of Jesus.