Back to Basics II

Monday 11 September
READ: Psa. 119: 9-16 
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 119: 97-104

The second basic ingredient that makes shining a reality and greatness touchable is the place of the Word of God in a man's life. To keep darkness out and increase the intensity of the light, one must give the Word of God priority in one's life. The entrance of thy words giveth light...: Psa. 119:130, implying that the more the Word of God enters the more light you have. David boldly declared, I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditations: Psa.119:99. King David had such a testimony because he didn’t neglect the basics for other duties, as busy as he was. David had his priorities well arranged. He knew that where there is no wood, the fire goes out.

We are in the days when thick darkness covers people. One of the ways to escape the darkness is to create quality time for the Word of God. The Word of God is the source of faith to be able to shine in this world and to receive crowns and rewards eternally, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: Rom.10:17. The more you stay in the place of hearing the Word of God (on devices, at meetings etc) and you believe the Word along with obeying/applying what you hear, the more faith is produced in your life. The more faith you have, the more God shows up in your life that makes you experience the miraculous and the more giant strides you take out of smallness into greatness.

Ensure that you are occupied with the Word, ...The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart...That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: Rom.10:8-9. The first place is your heart, keep the Word in your heart as you read it or hear it, believe the Word in your heart. Some people read the Word like a story book, immediately they close the book, they forget what they read and it’s business as usual. That's not the way to handle God's Word and get results. The Word must be stored in the heart by reading,  memorisation and meditation for understanding, and  for application at any point in time.

Confess the Word with your mouth. Say what God's Word says in every situation, not what the environment or circumstance says. What audacity has the Word to be what you confess in every circumstance? The audacity of God, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: Jn.1:1. Confessing the Word brings God into a situation and when God is involved, satan and darkness have to run away!

When you constantly keep the Word of God in your heart and confess it, God will move mightily in your life. You will be greatly relevant where you work and where you live.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you value His Word as  the basic building blocks for your life.
* Destroy all hindrances to the power and effect of the Word in your life.
* Declare the Word of God will work for you, in Jesus’ mighty name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today, I prophesy a celebration that swallows up my past pain and turns my mourning to dancing all through the year, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Back to Basics I

Sunday 10 September
READ: Jn.1:1- 4     
MORE LESSON:  Jn.10:1-5

The greatest addition you can have in life is not just from what you do but what you are. In the scientific world or in any creative/manufacturing world you cannot produce when you don't have the raw materials. You cannot invent if you do not have the basics. Another way to explain this truth is that without the ingredients there is no delicious food. What God has said about you can only be a reality when you put in the ingredients appropriately; simply put: “go back to the basics”.

It is very obvious that as the intensity of light increases, the less darkness is seen. The more the correct ingredients are put in food in the right proportion, the tastier the meal. Get your life full of light by putting in the basics. Shining light is spiritual and part of the instructions of the Lord to His people, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven: Matt.5:16. You get your spirit right by putting in the basics.

Some believers erroneously think that because seasons and times change, the principles of God also change. But not so, God’s truths and principles are timeless. Spiritual basics are timeless truths for changing times. What are these basics that must not shift, sink or change in the face of these changing times? The first is staying in the place of prayer. This includes personal quiet times before the Lord, deliberate appointments with God in closet prayer and periods of waiting upon the Lord in fasting and prayer along with the congregational forum of prayer.

One of the ills affecting so many people today is that they claim that God does not speak to them. Some even claim that God only speaks to special people like the pastors, prophets and evangelists. But God is not partial; if He speaks to one then He is ready to speak to all His children. The real issue is that God's children do not create time for personal prayers to cultivate listening to God. He speaks! The Bible shows that God speaks to His people. Are you willing to hear His voice? Are you ready to train your spirit to hear Him? Then He will reveal Himself to you.

Many are falling prey to false prophets and diviners today because of lack of direction and guidance. Having regular times of prayer to listen to God and speak to Him will deliver one from the deception and ignorance of the time. When last did you have time alone with God? Go back to the basics. There is no short cut to it. God has the blueprint for every man's life as the Maker of all men, which becomes reality only by the bridge and instrument of prayer. Today, there are several people living other people's destinies because they refuse to take theirs in the place of prayer. For such people life is frustrating and bitter. Get back to the basics, pray until His will comes clear to you and you will shine.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to renew  your personal commitment to prayer from today, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to help you never to turn your back on biblical basics, in Jesus’ name.
*Declare that as you follow God's instructions your light will shine for the world to see, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Oh Lord, arise today and declare them dead that seek my life to terminate it, as in the case of Jesus versus Herod, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Commitment

Saturday 9 September
READ: 1 Sam.17:34-37 
MORE LESSON:  John 10:17-18

The Cambridge Advanced Dictionary defines commitment as being “willing to give your time and energy to something that you believe in, or a promise”. It also says “commitment is about firm decision to do something”. Commitment is the willingness and readiness to give all that it takes (time, talent, energy, etc) to accomplish a task. True commitment requires all of you and all that you have. There is therefore no half allegiance or divided loyalty. Where such is found, there is no true commitment.

True commitment does not anticipate a physical reward. Rather, it takes a conscious decision to be committed and stay committed in the absence of incentives, appreciation and remuneration. True and total commitment is like putting a 'yoke' on yourself with respect to a responsibility. Men who have committed their body to Jesus, for example, seemingly put a yoke on themselves that Christ shall be magnified in their body, in life and in death (Phil.1:20). When a prophecy came to a notable prophet, Agabus, about the impending troubles awaiting Apostle Paul if he dared go to Jerusalem, the people began to cry and persuade Paul to put off his ministerial assignment to Jerusalem, Then Paul answered: What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus: Acts 21:13.

There is a call to commitment today in the body of Christ. The call is for all, irrespective of age and sex (Isa.55:1-4, 6; Matt. 11:29-30; Deut.10:12). God particularly placed a demand on young people because they possess peculiar qualities that make commitment easy.  Young people have capacity for vision, passion/zeal, strength, devotion, opportunity, and fidelity. Where are the young men and women who will take the bull by the horn and be the Phinehas (Num.5:6-13), Joshua (Exo. 24:13), David (1Sam.17:26) and Mary (Lk.1:27-29) of this generation?

People who take up the yoke of commitment will wear the robe of honour and glory. Their names are always registered in the hall of fame. Even if they are crushed by the weight of commitment, they are never forgotten, as they remain examples for many generations. More importantly, they are given a glad welcome into their eternal home above with a promise, ...Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord: Matt. 25:21. Dare to obey the call to commitment today and you will doubtless enter into honour and glory.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, pour fresh grace upon me today for righteous living, in Jesus’ name.
* I pledge my allegiance to You, to serve you with all my strength and with all that I have. So help me God, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today is 9-9-2017, my blessing shall be double, I shall live and operate on repeated blessings all through the year, in the name of Jesus.

Be a Courageous Soul Winner III

Friday 8 September
READ: Psa. 126:5-6  
MORE LESSON:  Matt.28:18-20

Soul winning is an art, which is perfected by regular practice, following a method adjudged most effective. If you do not know the method, you will struggle to get good results. The Scripture reading today outlines basic methods for effective soul winning, and you must courageously master them.

1. He who continually goes forth...: Soul winning requires going out to meet sinners. There are two types of outing: formal and informal. In formal outing, you go out purposefully to meet sinners and preach the gospel to them. In informal outing, you take advantage of a discussion, occasion or event, a problem or a need in the life of a sinner to talk to him about Jesus.

2. ...goes forth weeping...: This speaks about compassion. Your mission is that of rescuing the sinner from fire (Jude 1:23). You must be purposeful in your discussion, serious in business, compassionate and appealing.

3. ...Bearing seed for sowing...: This has to do with preaching the Word  of God. Souls are never won by rhetoric, logic or argument. 1Pet.1:23 says men are born again by the Word of God. Don't go into politics, economics, or world events. If you must, only cite them to buttress what the Bible says.

4. ...Shall doubtless come again...: Be rest assured that if you go out for soul winning, you will not be consumed in the exercise; you shall doubtless return, testifying like the disciples did, And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you: Lk.10:17-19.

5. ...with rejoicing...: Be full of excitement before and after every outing whether a soul is won on that day or not (Lk.10:17). If a soul is not won, you have sown a seed. Someday, you will see the travail of your soul and you shall be satisfied (Isa.53:11).

6. ...Bringing his sheaves...: Expect results when you go out. You may not win everyone you speak to each time you go out, but you will win some. So expect positive response and round off your conversation by inviting the sinner to Christ.

Go into the assignment of soul winning with this understanding, and your harvest will be plenteous.

Prayer/Action
* Lord Jesus, help me to win souls for the Kingdom with ease and joy, in Jesus’ name.
* Make up your mind on who to preach to today (in your office/business place etc) and pray for that person by name that the Word will make impact in his life, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
As the king could not sleep in the days of Mordecai until he released Mordecai, so shall the helper of my destiny be restless today until he blesses me, in the mighty name of Jesus.