Blossom in your Wilderness

Sunday May
READ: 2Sam. 17:27-29
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 6:8-9

In our text, David was going through a wilderness experience. He had been driven out of the palace in Jerusalem by his own son, Absalom; his trusted friend Ahitophel had taken counsel against him. His concubines had been defiled publicly by his son, Absalom. The king had been humiliated and driven into the wilderness together with his royal troop with no food, or provision. All was hot and dry.
Then God sent three men with abundant provision to refresh David in the wilderness. This is the way God works. When you find yourself in the wilderness of life for whatever reason, He sends provision to refresh you, so that even in the wilderness you can blossom. When Israel was crossing the wilderness into their inheritance in Canaan, God gave them abundance of manna, meat and water from the Rock that followed them, to refresh their souls. The Lord will never leave nor forsake His people. What is it that you have been going through? In what wilderness experience have you found yourself? The Lord is there for you even in the wilderness. He will supply all that you need. He will send helpers who will bring provisions that you need. Even in the wilderness, God is still a God of provision, He will furnish a table in the wilderness.
The only question today is, Who hath believed our report? Isa.53:1. Who is ready to believe that God can do all things, including turning a wilderness to a table of provision,
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly…: Isa.35:1-2.
No matter the dry situation you are going through, call Jehovah to it. Hand over your position, debts, financial crisis to Him and leave them there with Him. If you believe in the power that makes the wilderness to blossom as the rose, you will see the miracle of the Lord.

Prayer/Action
* Lord wherever I find myself, I shall prosper and blossom, in Jesus’ name.
* I reverse every dry situation around my life today, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today, every curse of back-to-square one working in my life and destiny, break now, in the name of Jesus.

Following Jesus

Saturday 6 May
READ: Matt.4:18-25
MORE LESSONS: Gen. 12:1

Following Jesus is not an adventure we choose but a quest that comes to us; we are called to it. Jesus, during His earthy ministry, called men with whom He fulfilled His mandate on earth, people like John, James, Peter and Andrew (John 1:40-43). As He did then when He was physically on earth, He is still doing today. However, most often, when God calls us, we are tempted to go only halfway with Him. I will follow you if you show me where you are taking me or I will go if I can still keep my boyfriend, my sinful lifestyle and if the pay will be reasonable enough. The call of God to man for fellowship is always complete, total and never an easy thing, but it is always for a life of fulfilment, …I will make you fishers of men: Matt 4:19. The call of God on your life is to make you what you are designed to be, which sometimes you may or may not know.
Moreover, following Jesus entails certain virtues and sacrifices as enumerated by the Scripture.
1. Self-denial (Matt 16:24): the call of God upon your life is a call unto sacrifice and discipline. The title “disciple” came from the word discipline; disciples are disciplined people, who are able to follow in all situations.
2. Your possessions (Luke 18:22): Jesus said … sell all.…That is to say, transfer its ownership. Everything you possess is for the purpose of your call, when you let it go for God’s work on earth, you will meet it in Heaven. Your possessions can stand in the way of your call if care is not taken. Following the Lord involves avoiding distractions.
3. Things that make for peace (Rom.14:19): being an agent of peace, as a believer means following the Lord, bridging the gap between God and man, and the gap between man and man. In following the Lord, you must follow peace with all men (Heb.12:14).
4. Righteousness and godliness (I Tim.6:11): any man who is following Jesus must also follow virtues like righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness.
The choice to follow Jesus is a choice to follow certain things and a choice to also run away from others. Jesus said that whoever follows Him must be ready to forsake “all” to be able to do so. A type of Christianity that allows everything, not being selective and discerning, is not true Christianity. We must do all things to be able to follow completely.

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to rid you of any distractions from whole heartedly following the Lord, in the name of Jesus.
* Pray that Jesus Himself will hold your hand and lead you through the rest of life, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Satan, all your acts and plans for my life end with this day and this month, in the name of Jesus.

Keeping your Salvation

Friday 5 May
READ: Phil.2:12-16
MORE LESSONS: 1Cor.9:24-27

It is one thing to be born again, it is another to keep your salvation until Jesus comes. There is no doubt that God who saved you has the will and power to keep you to the end (2 Tim. 1:12). However, our text urges, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: Phil.2:12. Someone may ask, If I was saved by grace through faith, why do I still need to work out my salvation? It is because there is a part you must play to keep the salvation God has wrought for you.
Some steps are helpful in this regard: 1) You are to live a life of obedience to the Word of truth, whether your leader or any other believer is there or not. 2) Don't murmur or complain. God brought out Israel from Egypt with great power to take them to Canaan. But those who decided to give themselves to murmuring and complaining all perished in the wilderness. It was the intention of God to take them to Canaan, but they aborted that plan by their behaviour. 3) Be blameless sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Let your conduct be such that even those who hate you will have no ground to fault you. 4) Be the shining light in your corner; dare to be different and unique. The popular saying, if you are in Rome, behave like a Roman or if you can’t beat them, join them, does not apply in the Christian walk. Don't do something because everyone around you is doing it. They could be wrong. When you are in doubt over any matter, ask your pastor. 5) Hold fast the confession of your faith. There are many false teachers and prophets in town, who are agents of satan to confuse young minds. Give yourself to the study of God's Word. 6) Always attend prayer and fellowship meeting where you learn more about God and obtain grace to be obedient to the Word.
God does not intend to abandon you on the way. Yet, as you can see in verse 16, it is possible to run in vain, and void the works of those who laboured over you (preached to you, followed you up, and taught you the way of the Lord). The desire of every spiritual leader is to see his flock blessed here on earth and make it to Heaven. Your success is one of the bases on which he will be rewarded in Heaven. So you are part of the stars on his crown on the last day. If you fail to make it to the end, he will have laboured in vain. You must make up your mind not to disappoint yourself and your spiritual leaders. Run according to the rules. Be focused on the prize for the upward call of God. Indeed, there is an incorruptible crown awaiting you if only you will run steadily to the end.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for the wisdom you need to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, in the name of Jesus.
* Pray that your Christian journey will not be terminated by carelessness or any other arrow of hell, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, my eyes are on You, visit me all- around and let there be a turn around in my entire life, in the name of Jesus.

Assurance of Salvation

Thursday 4 May
READ: Eph.2:1-8
MORE LESSONS: Rom.8:14-16

Yesterday, we considered what it takes to be truly born again and perhaps you prayed and committed your life to Jesus. Many young converts grapple with the problem of confirming their new status in Christ. A young convert may be faced with questions such as: What makes you believe that you are now born again? Did you see Jesus enter into you? How can mere repetition of the preacher's prayer get you born again? Thus he or she is confused. Perhaps you are also confused about the prayer you made yesterday, but I want you to understand the following from our text:
1. You are saved by grace through faith. Having said the prayer yesterday, believe in the efficacy of the prayer.
2. Jesus does not have to physically walk into your life. The Spirit of God entered into you at conversion. So Jesus is in your heart.
3. You are now a child of God. The Spirit of God will henceforth continue to testify, witness to your spirit (conscience) that you are born again.
It is the strategy of satan to put doubt in anyone who confesses Jesus to make him think nothing has changed. But from the very moment you made those statements sincerely from your heart, God who sees your heart knew that you meant every word. So He released His Spirit to carry out a work of regeneration on your spirit man. In the spirit realm, you have been rescued from the control and dominion of the power of darkness (Col.1:13). Your name was removed from the books of judgement and boldly written in the Book of life (Rev.20:11-15).
Satan and his agents and the angels of God know this truth. Stand your ground. Your affection for God and things of God will begin to increase. There is a deep-seated joy and satisfaction in your inner being. You feel as if you have everything even though physically, you may have some lack. You feel God is now nearer to you than before. You will also resent sin. You feel odd in the midst of old friends who practise sin, and you desire a new company. These are some of the evidence that you are born again. Go ahead and change those friends because they can pull you down if you continue with them. Go to a Bible believing church and present yourself to the pastor, and ask him to give you someone who can follow you up. Remember, you are born again by grace through faith, not by works.

Prayer/Action
* I am born again, satan pack your load (sickness, diseases, failure, badluck, fear etc) out of my life, in Jesus’ name.
* From today I have the Spirit of God to lead me, teach me, guide me. Thank You Jesus for saving me, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, go to the foundation of my life and dislodge the seeds of wickedness working against my destiny, in Jesus' name.