Secrets to a Successful Home I

Monday 8 May
READ: Gen 2: 18 - 25
MORE LESSON: Matt. 19: 4 - 6

A home is primarily a man and woman joined by God in the covenant of marriage. The children are products of the home. So the home consists of father, mother and children. The home also has a lot of people and environments surrounding and influencing it. Extended families, relatives, in-laws, neighbours, friends and colleagues are all influences around the home. Culture also is an influence around the home. Some cultural practices have bound the home together while some have destroyed it altogether. All the forces in the environment of the home are important and have their proper place. However, the spiritual - the Spirit and Word of God - is the singular most important factor that should rule our homes.
It is important to ask yourself what is influencing your home. Whether you are married or single, you have a home. If you have not started a home, you come from a home. The most vital of all the environments of the home is the spiritual. Our homes must be ruled by God from the spiritual and not by culture, in-laws, relatives or neighbours. The spiritual is the most important environment of the home because the home itself is foremost spiritual. The home is spiritual because the home is God's idea. God is a Spirit and so the home is spiritual. Man also is first and foremost a spirit who lives in a body. Adam was sleeping when his wife was created but he woke up and knew that she was created from his rib without anyone telling him. This is because he recognised her by the spirit and not in the flesh. The Author of the home is spiritual, the process of forming the home is spiritual and the people involved are spirit beings. So how do men think the home can work when they neglect the spiritual?
When there are issues in the home that need remedy, the greatest solution is to go to the spiritual and resolve the problem. By 'spiritual', we mean the applications of the Scripture and the place of prayer, the Word and the Spirit of God. There are many natural principles that have been postulated for making marriage work and there is nothing bad about them. Some of them include buying gifts for your spouse, being romantic, holding hands publicly etc. However, be it known to you that the spiritual rules the physical. When the marriage is worked from the spiritual, everything in the physical begins to fall into proper perspective. When the spiritual is missing, nothing works even if every other physical thing is in place. Psychology is not the key to the success of marriage; Jesus is.
The greatest secret and strength of the home is the revelation that the home is spiritual. Every other thing comes to play only after you run the home by the Word and Spirit of God.

Prayer/Action
* I declare that the spirit of righteousness will rule my home, in Jesus’ name.
* The altar of God in my home will not lack fire, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This year, my hope shall not be dashed, every promise made to me shall be sure and fulfilled, in the name of Jesus.

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.