Praise on Credit

Friday 23 June
READ: Rom. 4:17-22
MORE LESSONS: Rom. 4:20

A friend of mine recently told a story that touched me very much. He had been asking the Lord for a car and the fact that his wife was pregnant made their need more urgent, especially in case there was an emergency. After some days of intensive and fervent prayer, he heard the Lord say He had granted his request and gave him the names of two persons who would soon send the money to him. Soon after, he checked his mails but there was no message for him. He returned home disappointed and began praying again; he was concerned that the wife's EDD was a few days away and there was still no car. He kept praying.
Then the two persons called to say they had sent him some money. As he and his wife began to praise and worship the Lord, God rebuked him for praising Him only when the two men called. My friend believed his friends more than God; the car came but with a rebuke. This is unlike Father Abraham of whom the Bible records, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: Rom. 4:20.
We believe what we see in the physical more than the spiritual promises of God. The implication is that we trust men than the Almighty God and His Word. Learn to trust and give thanks to God while you wait, that is giving thanks on credit. It is celebrating God's promise thereby provoking Heaven to action. Unknown to my friend, the money came as soon as God said it but his change of address caused delay. If you give God praise on credit, you get your results early. Learn not to stagger at God's promises but give Him glory while waiting like Father Abraham did.
One thing that helped Abraham to give thanks while waiting was his being “fully persuaded” about what he was asking God for. The new living translation says, He was fully convinced...: Rom.4:21 (NLT). When you are fully convinced that God has answered, it is easy to thank Him in advance. Never ask God for what you are not sure He will do. Ask with faith and proof your faith with thanks after the request but if you will follow Jesus’ style, give thanks before asking (John 11:41), that is praise on credit.

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to forgive your unbelief, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask the Lord to bless you with a grateful and appreciative heart.
* Bless God for all you are expecting Him to do for you today, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Let the power of unprecedented, unexplainable help locate me this month, in the mighty name of Jesus.

The Problem of Worry

Thursday 22 June
READ: Matt.13:18-23
MORE LESSON: Lk.12:22

Don't worry’ is easy enough to say, but it’s not so easy to do when unpaid bills stack up or a crisis looms or the future looks bleak. Worry can overwhelm and brutalise a person; it's a hard emotion to suppress. There is hardly any man who has never gone through worry before. Even the disciples of Jesus were once worried about their future and Peter expressed his fear, ...See, we have left all and followed You: Lk. 18:28. Worry is a powerful emotion that grips a person tightly in times of crisis and he wonders, What about tomorrow? What if this happens? What if that happens? If we don't have enough, we worry that it might be stolen or taken away. Man is indeed a phenomenon! Some people are terribly worried about the fact that they are too young; they want to get older, but worrying won’t change anything or help anyone.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus talks about the seed that was choked out by the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. The seed of the Word of God never brought forth fruit because it was strangled by worry. It isn't only those who are well off that are plagued with the problem of worry, it also bedevils those who have very little but who are always worrying about what they don't have. Whether for lack or
abundance, the effect is the same: it chokes you and strangles you spiritually.
Here are a few reasons why you must not worry:
1. Most of what we worry about never take place.
2. Worry has never been a problem solver.
3. Worry does not make things better but worse.
4. Medical science says worry can shorten a man's life.
5. Worry is anti faith and anti trust in God.
What to do with worry:
1. Take all matters to God in prayer and leave them there.
2. Cast all your cares upon the Lord.
3. Don't fear the future, rather pray about the future.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus: Phil.4:6-7.
Remember, worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, rather it empties today of its strength.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to forgive your worry and anxiety, in Jesus’ name.
* Tell God that you shall be more committed to His Word and promises, in Jesus’ name.
* Bind everything that causes you to worry, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every spirit of diversion of glory, I destroy you by the fire of the Holy Ghost today, in the name of Jesus.

Second Chance

Wednesday 21 June
READ: Judg. 16:25-30
MORE LESSON: Psa. 4:1-3

Nothing can be more devastating on the battle field than being disarmed by your enemy. Because the strength of a warrior is in his weapons, the seizure of one's weapons ordinarily signifies the end of the captive. This scenario is far more tragic when a child of God faces a situation of spiritual disarmament by the enemy. Before the birth of Samson, God set him aside for an assignment,
…he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines: Judg. 13:5.
He started well but because of his relationship with Delilah, he later fell into the hands of the Philistines. The dreaded Samson became a theatre piece brought out of prison to entertain his enemies. May we never degenerate and end this way. Thank God Samson realised what to do; he told the lad that held him,
… Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them: Judg. 16:26.
What pillars do you lean on in your trying times? The pillars of wrong and ungodly counsel or the pillars of encouragement that can lead you back to reconcile with God? Where you ask for the renewal of strength dictates how far you can go in your relationship with God. Leaning on the pillars for support, Samson cried unto the God of Israel, (v 28). May God remember you when you call on Him in your days of trouble. He cried,
.…and strengthen me.…
May the Lord strengthen you when you are weak. And he concluded,
… I pray thee, only this once.
The God of compassion answered and Samson pulled down the building and killed more enemies that day than in the twenty years that he judged Israel.
Who are the Philistines that plucked out your eyes of righteousness and commitment? Ask God for one more time to regain your strength. He will answer because He is the God of the second chance who granted Samson, Peter, David, Maneseh, Jonah, etc a second chance. If He has spared your life till today, then take advantage of that and seek a restoration over any area of life, now. This same opportunity might be unavailable tomorrow. What a privilege to have such a merciful and forgiving God, ever ready to receive any returning child.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to return back to you every opportunity you have lost, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to restore your lost glory, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Anything in creation that is hostile to my testimony this year, fade away, in the name of Jesus.

Time is Short

Tuesday 20 June
READ: I Cor. 7:29-31
MORE LESSON: Rev. 22: 12

The Scripture says that a day with the Lord is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. One of the lessons from this text is that time is short. This means that even if the coming of the Lord is 20 years away, the 20 years will pass so quickly that it will look like it was some minutes. It is after all very correct to tell people that Jesus is coming tomorrow. No matter the number of hours, days, weeks or years that will pass before He comes, they will pass so quickly and the coming of the Lord will come as quickly as tomorrow. Be ready, He can come at any time. The coming of the Lord is here.
The Scripture says that when you consider the brevity of time, it should advise you what manner of man you ought to be (2 Pet. 3: 11). The first kind of men we ought to be is men of holiness and godliness. No more time for careless living; the time is too short for you to postpone being born again.
The time is short so you have to use it to serve God so as to make impact for the Kingdom. As long as you are alive you must live for God and you must work for Him. You will one day stand before God and explain yourself, how you made use of the time He has given you. There was a lady I met that was paralysed and she was ministering powerfully in song and the title of her song was “Jesus is the greatest healer”. That is very touching to me, because she understands that her condition cannot make the Word of God untrue. So whatever you have or don't have, you must learn to serve God in the little time remaining. Some people complain that the reason they cannot serve God is because they are trying to make it, they want to read, work or make money so that when they are successful they can preach the message with proof. If the cripple lady was waiting to walk before she sings that Jesus is the greatest healer, she might never serve God.
The time is short, you need to do God's work with all your heart, what you have or don't have notwithstanding. 2 Cor. 5:19 says, ...God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. God is not counting your sins against you again. That's good news for you. God has committed the ministry of reconciliation to us. This is the task that God has given you for this short time remaining; you should be out reconciling men to God. The time is short; we cannot take anything for granted.

Prayer/Action
* I receive grace to do the work of the Lord while there is still time, in Jesus’ name.
* I rebuke the spirit of procrastination in my life, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Lord, I declare my testimonies for this year will not be postponed, in the name of Jesus.