Picking up the Pieces

Wednesday 17 May
READ: Psa. 126:1-6
MORE LESSONS: Job 42:12

Sometimes our dreams are shattered by lack of fulfilment; sometimes hope is lost to frustration. Many times we work so hard and get nothing and we ask, ‘why’? Sometimes the days ahead look so bright with an early sunrise, only for darkness to take over the horizon again. Often, great and solid promises suddenly disappear into thin air. Life becomes so confusing at such times that everything seems to be in pieces. Nothing seems real anymore; even God becomes so abstract, as if He does not exist. All we see is fear, helplessness, crisis, pain, darkness, and life becomes unbearable.
Many people commit suicide at such times; some go mad and never recover again. Others give in to depression and sit in self-pity, never attempting anything good again. A few others take it up against God and declare Him unfair and unjust. Consequently, they abandon seeking God and worship the creature of God or completely stay away from everything.
However, there are some who take advantage of such situations to rise. They simply decide to pick up the pieces of their life by fighting the enemy of goodness, the devil, using the last spiritual strength left in them. They just can't give up. They know that Jehovah God exists no matter what lies the situations of life attempt to tell.
Don't give up because it's not over yet. The God who turns captivity around is still in control. Seek God, invite Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour. Don't join the multitude to do evil. Make your ways right with God, and if you are already in Christ, stay hopeful. Renew your strength constantly in God's promises and like Job your change will come (Job 14:14).

Prayer/Action
* I declare in the name of Jesus that every dark cloud hovering around my destiny be cleared.
* I declare in the name of Jesus that there is hope for tomorrow no matter what I see today.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month, I receive the good news of the termination of every satanic agent working against me, in the name of Jesus.

The Favour of the King

Tuesday  16 May
READ: 1 Sam 16: 22
MORE LESSON: Prov. 16: 15

David was a shepherd with no claim to the throne and no right to stay in the palace. King Saul sent to Jesse, David's father, saying, ...Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight: 1 Sam. 16:22 (NKJV). Being called to the palace to appear before the king is a great honour and many people lobby for it. But here was David being begged to come to the palace when he didn't even deserve it by right or birth. David was not qualified for a place in the palace but he was being begged to come and sit in the palace.
The favour of God takes a man from a low position to a high place that he doesn't deserve. King Saul didn't ask David to be brought to the palace because he had laboured enough for it. He said, for he has found favour.'It was divine favour that moved David from the wilderness to the palace. It is your turn to receive unmerited favour. The favour of a king can change a man's life in a moment. When you find favour with a wealthy man, he makes his wealth available to lift you to the next level in life. I pray that you will find favour with kings and men of influence, in Jesus’ name. The best way to find the favour of kings is to be in favour with the King of kings. When you find favour with God, men will have no choice but to favour you.
In the text, David was being begged to come and occupy a position that others would give anything to occupy. Favour gives you a job that others are struggling for but can't get. Favour sets aside qualifications and put in your hands what you are not qualified for. I always say that it is someone who gets something by qualification that can later be disqualified. Disqualification means that someone qualified before but now he is no longer qualified – so, he is disqualified. But when there was no qualification in the first place, there can be no disqualification. It is your time of favour, get ready to get things beyond your qualification, in Jesus’ name.
I declared once in church that whatever you cannot afford to buy will be given freely by favour. Then, testimonies filled the church. People gave a lot of testimonies, including a young man that couldn't afford a car and someone gave him one free of charge. I was even worried for him whether he would be able to maintain the running cost of a car and he replied that since God gave him a car by favour, He would also help him maintain it by favour. That is the truth, when God gives you something by favour, He sustains it by favour. For the rest of your life, walk in unmerited and unlimited favour, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Father, let my season of favour begin now, in the mighty name of Jesus.
* Pray that you will be God's candidate for favour and grace, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I take the shield of faith and I ward off every arrow of disaster and pain in this fifth month, in the name of Jesus.

Spiritual Training for Children II

Monday 15 May
READ: Mal. 2: 15
MORE LESSON: Eph. 6: 1 – 4

One of the reasons why God made a man and his wife to become one is because He is seeking godly children. Mal 2:15a (NKJV) says, But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring.... God's ultimate goal is not just that children are produced but that godly children are raised. To achieve this, we have to influence the children from their formative years. We should not allow the society, school and other institutions to form our children and then we try to reform them when we are not satisfied with what they have turned out to be. The best way to form children's conviction is to live a life of spiritual example before them while they are young.
I learnt this experientially years ago. Naturally, I spend a lot of time in the place of prayer. But I can be praying quietly for hours on a spot and no one would know except he/she comes very close to me. However, when my wife prays, you will know that someone is praying. In fact, you don't need to be in the room with her before you know. Of course, I am the one that has to put up with the praying. So, one day I asked, “why are you doing this to me, why can't you pray quietly like me.” She replied, “You can pray quietly for a long time and that is admirable. At the same time, God has blessed you with a wife that can pray loud. If the children don't hear you praying; at least, they will hear me and know they have parents that pray a lot.” I said it is okay. So anytime she needed to pray and I wanted to do something else, I would leave the room and go find a place to do whatever I needed to do. One day, I heard the children mimicking 'mummy's tongues'. They were actually speaking in tongues and saying this is how mummy prays.
It is important that parents do the right things for children to see. If you wake up in the night to pray, even if you don't want to ask them to join you, pray loud and 'disturb them small'. Let them grow up knowing that parents wake up at night to pay the price in prayer over their children's destiny. You should also bring your children to night vigils even if they will sleep throughout. Let them grow up with it.
Conversely, as parents, there are things that are lawful but not expedient. As a mother, a dress might not be a sin but if you wear it, your daughter will take it a bit further. You started it, she will help you finish it and then you can't control it anymore. For the sake of the children, there are certain things you must do and other things you must not do.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will not fail in your role as a parent, in Jesus’ name.
* Lord, bring your expectation for my home to pass, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, as this month draws to a close, I decree that every calendar of evil prepared by satanic kingdom for my future be destroyed now, in the name of Jesus.

Spiritual Training for Children I

Sunday 14 May
READ: Prov. 22: 6
MORE LESSON: Psa. 78:9

Spirituality and godliness are the principal requirements for a successful home, not just for the father and mother but for the children as well. In order for the home to fulfil God's plan, we need high level of spiritual capacity for our children. This is the reason why the children need to be part of the spiritual exercises in the home. The children cannot be excused from prayer, family altar and other spiritual exercises on the basis of being too young. They must be trained to do it from early in life.
When I leave my house early in the morning, sometimes before 5 am, I see Muslim men going to the mosque in the cold of the morning, small children carrying small mats, running to catch up with their father as they hurry to the mosque. No wonder they grow up to be ardent followers of their religion. However, when going to church Christian parents leave the children at home, saying they are small, and will not understand what is happening in the church. If they are too young to understand what is happening in church, how come they understand what is happening on the television that they switch on immediately you leave them and go to church.
As soon as children can understand sounds and words, it is time to start training them in the way of the Lord. Let them pray at their level, let them fast according to their capacity when they are old enough to. Let them read the Bible and come for Bible Study. The environment puts several ideas into their minds about fashion, speech, friendship and other things in life. They read all manners of books and watch programmes on the media. It is only the Scripture that can format all the wrong stuff out of their mind. If there is any field that parents must be well versed in more than the children, it is the Scripture. Teach them the Bible.
When my children were young, there was no home lesson that superseded Bible Study. The personal tutor would come home to teach them but once it was time to go to church, it was either the home tutor would leave or follow us to church. All the talk about parents coming to church and leaving children at home that they have home lesson or they are reading their school books is not correct. We don't want to raise intelligent sons of belial.
These children are the next generation that will spearhead the Kingdom of God in this end time. The greatest gift and legacy they can be given is a high spiritual capacity so that they will carry God into their generation. Our children will not be found as spiritual weaklings in their day of battle, in Jesus’ name (Psa. 78:9).

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the Lord will grant to you wisdom to bring up your children in the way of the Lord, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that your children will grow up in the fear of the Lord, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today, I remove my name and family's from any demonic calendar and programme, in the name of Jesus.