Bless the Lord II

Thursday 9 February
READ: Psa. 103: 1 - 5
MORE LESSON: Psa. 115: 16 - 18

The psalmist shows us that if we must be able to bless the Lord at all times, we must make a habit of remembering His benefits. It is only those who have mastered the art of not forgetting the benefits of the Lord that will be able to bless God whatever happens. In order for us to easily remember the benefits of the Lord, the Bible lists some of them for us. The first benefit listed in the text is the forgiveness of sins. The salvation of your soul is enough reason for you to be eternally grateful to God. How much can a man ever pay for salvation and forgiveness of his sins? The only way to repay God for forgiving us is to praise Him in word and action.
The next item listed by the psalmist is that it is the Lord who heals all your diseases. Jesus paid for your healing by His blood. When a child of God is in health, he doesn't really appreciate how much the Lord has done for him. The world is full of diverse kinds of sickness, diseases and calamities that have taken the joy from the lives of many; but the Lord healed your diseases. Even if you are sick, it is not because He has not healed you; it is because you have not received it. The price has been paid for your healing. In the name of Jesus, I declare your healing to speedily appear (Isa. 58: 8).
Psa. 103: 4 says, Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Destruction, death and accidents are flying all over the nations. It is because of the Lord's mercies and loving kindness that you are alive. The fact that you are alive today is enough testimony of the faithfulness of God and enough reason for you to bless Him.
Another reason to bless the Lord is because He satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. God doesn't just give you good things; He satisfies you with good things. There are many complaints because of the prevalent economic situation. However, if you are very thoughtful, you will realise that you have enough reasons to thank God. He has not allowed famine, hunger and dearth to kill you. He has taken care of you; like a shepherd He has fed you. You may not have everything you wish for but you have enough to be grateful for. This is the reason you must bless the Lord with all your heart and must never forget His benefits. Lift up your hand and say, “Thank You Jesus!”

Prayer/Action
* Lord, thank You for taking away my debt of sin and giving me a new life of hope, in Jesus’ name.
* Daddy, thank You for daily benefits that I enjoy from You, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I redeem my times and seasons in the month of February from wickedness and the power of darkness, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Bless the Lord I

Wednesday 8 February
READ: Psa. 103: 1 – 4
MORE LESSON: Psa. 135: 19 - 21

The psalmist told his soul to bless the Lord. Sometimes you might have to talk to yourself in life. Humans have a tendency to complain than to thank. We must therefore compel our souls to bless God. The way to cultivate a culture of always blessing the Lord is by learning not to forget His benefits. It is more natural for men to forget good things and remember bad things. A person receives a blessing and by the next day, he has forgotten it and in the face of one single challenge, he behaves as if nothing good has ever happened to him. The same person, if something bad happened to him, would keep it in memory and complain about it for years. Why accumulate the garbage of many years in your heart and carry it around? Throw away the bad and keep the good. The way of blessedness is to always remember the blessings and benefits of God in your life while you choose to forget the disappointments and failures of yesterday that want to haunt you today.
Whenever you are agitated and it looks like it is difficult to praise, look very well at the things that God has done for you in the past and let them be a reason for you to start blessing His name. This is why the psalmist reminded his soul to bless the Lord. Today you need to bless the Lord even if it will entail you telling your soul to consciously start counting the reasons to give God praise. The hymn writer says, 'Count your blessings; name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.' It sometimes takes a deliberate effort to thank God.
If the devil deceives anyone by convincing him that God has never done anything for him in the past, such a person still has a reason to bless the Lord. He can bless the Lord for what God has done for others. If you claim that God has never done anything for you, then bless the Lord for me because He has done a lot for me. You can also bless the Lord for your neighbour who He has equally done something for. However, the plain truth is that there is no one that God has not done a lot for in the past and even in the present. This is why the culture of thanking God is very important, Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Count your many benefits today, including that you are alive and reading this piece now! Tell God “thank you”.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, my soul magnifies You for the gift of life, in the name of Jesus.
* Thank You Lord for good health, security and blessedness that I enjoy day by day, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I have been empowered to shine in 2017, and I shall shine, no dull moment, it's from glory to glory, in Jesus' glorious name.

The Testimony of Enoch II

Tuesday 7 February
READ: Gen. 5:24
MORE LESSON: Heb. 11:5–6

Enoch was a lover of God, who valued his relationship with God above earthly things. He had the things that other men of his generation had, however his priority was to walk with God. He became so intimate with God that God couldn’t stay in Heaven and leave him on the earth anymore. They had become intimate friends so much that where one was, the other had to be. This meant that it was either God leaves His throne to come stay physically on earth with Enoch leaves the earth and go stay with God in Heaven. However, Heaven is a far better place than the earth, so it was in mutual benefit that God decided that Enoch should be translated from the earth and taken to Heaven. If the earth was better than Heaven; God would allow Enoch to stay on earth and probably moved in to stay with him but Heaven is far more glorious than the best place on earth. So, God decided that Enoch needed to relocate from where he was, so that he could come to where He stays. When lovers are at the peak of love, one of their greatest desires is to always be together. Enoch and God were lovers. Your aspiration should be to become God’s close friend, to become a deep lover of God; to walk with Him.
Enoch lived on earth shorter than the men of his generation but his life was not short. On the other hand, his mortality was clothed with immorality so that he could live forever in a better place. A close relationship with God has great rewards. It was because God was interested in keeping Enoch to Himself that He translated him to Heaven. When you walk closely with God, the reward is a better place. Even on the earth, there is a better place than where you are right now. You can get to a place even in this life, the price still remains a close walk with God. Getting to a better place in destiny is not by pursuing things; it is a privilege reserved for lovers of God that walk closely with Him. As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: I Cor. 2:9. God has prepared a better place for you in destiny if you will walk with Him.
In conclusion, the best place you can ever get to is to make it to Heaven. Heaven, where God lives, is where you will have pleasures forever more. The best of this world is not comparable to the dust of Heaven. The only way to get to Heaven is to walk with God. God’s invitation today is, ‘Come walk with Me.’

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your love for God and relationship with God will take the priority of your life, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that your desire for God’s presence will not die, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Pray and speak a word of prophecy to Bishop David Bakare as he marks 13th year of his consecration as a bishop. Ask God to give him grave and glory, in the mighty name of Jesus.

The Testimony of Enoch I

Monday 6 February
READ: Gen. 5:21–24
MORE LESSON: Heb. 11:5–6

In the book of Genesis 5, the Bible gives an account of the lineage of several men starting from the first man – Adam. These men lived very long with several of them living above 900years. It was recorded that these men gave birth to sons and daughters and then each of them died. The only achievement recorded for many of them was that they added to the population of the earth. This trend continued till a man gave birth to a son called Enoch.
Enoch had a different testimony. The Bible records, And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: Gen. 5:22. Enoch gave birth like all his progenitors; he gave birth to Methuselah his first son at the age of 65. What distinguished him, and earned him a choice place in history and eternity was for the next 300 years of his life, he walked with God. Enoch walked so intimately with God that he was translated and never tasted death. Enoch walked in close fellowship with God till one day, God took him to Heaven in his physical body. The man simply disappeared from the earth as the earth was no longer worthy of him; he went to a better place. The greatest act that a man can do on earth is to walk with God so much so that Heaven notices him. Walking with God simply means a close relationship and fellowship with God.
Enoch didn’t live as old as all the men listed in the genealogy of Adam (Gen. 5:3-32). He only stayed on the earth for 365 years. His son Methuselah was the oldest man that ever lived on earth as he loved to be 969 years. Jared, his father, lived to be 962 years. Jared was 527 year when Enoch was taken by God and still lived 442 years after his son had gone. We always pray that our children will stay longer on the earth than us. Enoch was a man who left the earth far before his father and he entered into the annals of the heroes of faith on account of that (Heb. 11:5). The joy and uniqueness of his case was that he didn’t die and leave his father on earth; he was taken by God to taste the glory of Heaven.
There is a great reward for all those who walk closely with God. It is my desire to walk intimately with God; this should be your heart desire also every day of your life. There is a song in Yoruba that I love to sing; it translates, ‘Help me to walk with You that way I ought to. Help me to walk with You perfectly and in the right order.’

Prayer/Action
* Father, help me to make a difference in my generation, in Jesus’ name.
* Father, help me to have a consistent walk with You, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
He that keeps Israel is my keeper, therefore in the month of February I shall be secure from all evil, in the name of Jesus,