Responsible Children II

Wednesday 18 January
READ: 2 Kings 6: 1 - 7
MORE LESSON: Neh. 2: 3 - 5

We are examining the life of Prophet Elisha and how the sons of the prophet that were with him displayed a good sense of responsibility. Kings, generals of armies and great men were among people that used to visit Elisha. He didn't take things from these great men that came to him to gratify himself. He stayed in a humble house and all these great men came there. It could be that his sons felt that the prophet, who was teaching about the great and mighty God was living in a place which didn't reflect the greatness of the Almighty God. So they took it upon themselves to put the lessons he taught them about the greatness of God to practice by starting from the place where the man of God lived.
I remember one of my spiritual fahers told me that at a point if he went shopping and he looked too much at something, by the time he got home, it would have followed him home. This was because he had some sons that went around trying to study what he likes so that they can quickly buy it for him. It is similar to what the sons of Elisha the prophet did. Some exceptional children always take it upon themselves to see that their father has the best. Note that being a responsible child is not limited to buying things. Spiritual children can show responsibility by always praying for their parents. As a child to your biological parents, spiritual father, pastors and in the household of God, do not join those that pull their parents down with words? Look out for problems and solve them; don't be the problem. Children that condemn their parents always find out in a matter of time that they cannot do better than their parents; many times, they can't even do as much as them.
Responsible children in the church understand that God has brought them to the place for contribution and not mere collection. These are the two categories of people in every church; those that add and those that subtract. Choose the adding part; that is, the part of responsible children. In fact, this is not limited to the church but everywhere you find yourself. Don't just be an onlooker in your location, add to the place you are. A responsible child takes charge everywhere he gets to and adds value. This is the reason some people are successful anywhere you put them. Greatness is not in a location, it is in the person. You could live anywhere and be great; all it takes is taking responsibility. Responsible children sooner or later become an object of celebration wherever they are. Receive more grace to display a high sense of responsibility, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for grace to invest in your spiritual and biological parents, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God for more responsible children in our homes, church and society, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, this year I shall outshine every enemy of my advancement in every way, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Responsible Children I

Tuesday 17 January
READ: 2 Kings 6: 1 - 7
MORE LESSON: Psa 127: 3 - 5

The sons of the prophet called their father Elisha and begged him to let them a build bigger place for him. The explanation of the story in the text is that the sons of the prophet were ministers in training staying with Elisha and learning from him. They came to Elisha and told him that they noticed that it was getting too tight in his house where all of them were staying. They begged him to allow them go and build a bigger place for him so that it could conveniently contain them and he would also have a bigger space. You would notice that it was not Elisha that complained that the house was too small and jam-packed; they beseeched him to let them build a bigger place. These sons of the prophetic showed themselves to be responsible children.
It is always pleasing to parents when they have responsible children in the house. Such children identify problems and take initiative to solve them without anyone pursuing them around. Identifying and solving problems by self-initiative shows a sense of responsibility. It is always a thing of joy for a man to have grown to a point that the children he raised can solve his problems. Even if he has what it takes to solve the problems himself, he doesn't get as much fulfilment as when children solve them. It is not about the solution, it is more about the fulfilment and joy of having responsible children.
The sons of the prophet begged their father to go with them to the work site and Elisha left his tight ministerial schedule to follow them. Responsible children will always have the backing of their father. When they were at the site, the axe of one of them fell into the water. Thankfully, Elijah was around so he stood in his office as the prophet of God and commanded a miracle there and then. Responsible children also enjoy the miraculous because the grace of the father is released with the whole of his heart when they have a need and he prays for them. How will the grace of God on the life of Elisha not be stirred, when one of his spiritual children comes to tell him that he borrowed an axe to build for the prophet and now the axe has fallen into the water? The man actually went out of his way to borrow in order to get a bigger lodge for the prophet and he was in trouble. Miracle must surely be commanded. My prayer for you today is that you will be a responsible child of God in His church and of your parents, both biological and spiritual.

Prayer/Action
* Lord make me responsible to my spiritual and biological parents/guardian, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God that the blessings of a responsible child shall not elude you.
**Do something memorable for your parents today.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Jesus, light of the world, illuminate my destiny today, in the name of Jesus.

What’s your Name?

Monday 16 January
READ: I Chron. 4:1-10
MORE LESSONS: Hos. 1:2-11

There is so much about a name; it tells one’s history or heritage. Jabez was so named because his mother bore him in pain. Jabez did not like it so he asked God to bless him, enlarge his coast and keep him from evil (1Chronicles 4:10).
When Phinehas' pregnant wife heard the sad news that the ark of God had been captured and that her husband, his father, and brother were dead, that the army of Israel suffered heavy losses and fled before the Philistines, she went into labour and gave birth to a boy whom she named Ichabod because of the bad events surrounding his birth (1 Samuel 4:17-22). Jesus was named Jesus because He was born to save His people from their sins and Emmnauel because God came to dwell with man (Matthew 1:20-25).
What is your name? Is your name a memorial of pain, an epic of sorrow, despair, frustration, rejection, doom or a symbol of faith, hope and abundant life? We have many examples in the Scripture of how a man's name can determine his destiny; some had the name from birth, others had theirs changed. Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Peter, all had a change of name, while Jesus, John the Baptist and Isaac had their names from birth. All of them had their destinies influenced by their names. Although Jabez had a bad name, he did not drop the name but had a change of the influence of the name. The Bible says, …And God granted him that which he requested: I Chron. 4:10.
The point is that names have effect and influence on one’s destiny, negative and positive. But unlike what many believers think, the first thing to do about a name with a negative influence is not to change it but to pray for deliverance and a divine instruction on what to do with the name. You need not rush to change your name, rather give prompt attention to the force behind the evil name. Even names that come out of negative events will respond when there is a change of force behind the story. When the power of God breaks the yoke, and the story of barrenness, lateness, failure, sorrow etc. changes, obviously the forces behind the evil name will go. I agree with you, that every evil force working against you by your name is broken. Receive power for a greater life now.

Prayer/Action
* Decree that your name will influence your life positively.
* Declare that whatever evil force is associated with the names in your lineage be destroyed, in Jesus’ name.
*Pray that your name shall be heard in great places, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
The daily rising of the sun in 2017 shall carry on its wings my next level without fail, in the name of Jesus.

The Backslidden and Stubborn Heart

Sunday 15 January
READ: Matt.13:5-7, 20-22
MORE LESSON: Isa.1:18-20

A backslidden heart is one that has gone astray or left the path of God to follow after worldly cravings. Though such a heart has not renounced God, he has no love and affection for God and the things of God anymore. It is a heart that has been choked up by the cares of this world. A backslidden heart is one to which satan has easy access, ensnares and lures back to those things which the heart has once rejected and renounced. The backslidden heart now accommodates those things and finds excuses for them. Since his love and affection for God has grown cold, the backslidden no longer enjoys the fellowship, prayer, reading the Bible, going to church, giving offerings, paying tithes, etc. Such things become a burden and something inside him tells him they are a waste of time and energy.
A heart that is backslidden from God easily finds company, pleasure and comfort with people who do not talk about God while the people of God are offensive to him. The backslidden heart loves the world and the things therein contrary to the scripture which says, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever: 1John 2:15-17.
A stubborn heart is one who does not yield in obedience to God and the path of righteousness. Although he believes in the supremacy of God, he will go headlong to do what he wants rather than what God wants. The conscience of a stubborn heart is not completely broken, so his will easily overrides God's purpose. Even when he is repentant, he still wants things his own way (1Sam.15:24-25). Hebrew 2:1 says we must take earnest heed to the things we have been taught lest we drift away. The antidote to backsliding is to consciously examine yourself at the end of each day whether you are doing the things a forward moving believer is supposed to do, and make amends as necessary.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, deliver me from the spirit of backsliding, in Jesus’ name.
* I receive power to do only those things that give Jesus pleasure, now and forever, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
My light will shine in 2017 and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it, in the most powerful name of Jesus.