A Gift from the Lord

Thursday 12 October
READ: Matt. 2:1-2, 10-11 
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 108:1-5

An essential part of our worship is giving. God requires that we give to Him, His servants, our fellow brethren and even our neigbours. Giving is a token of love and appreciation. It is an investment that produces great dividends both here and in Heaven (Prov. 19:17). The attitude of the wise men from the east, who brought gifts to the Lord, is worth emulating. They saw Jesus’ star from the east and traced Him to Bethlehem to worship Him. As part of the worship, they brought gifts- gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They enquired of Him that was born King of the Jews (v.2) and found the child with His mother; they fell down and worshipped Him (v. 11). They were not moved by His age or size; they worshipped Him and gave Him gifts. They could have changed their mind when they saw that He was only a baby, and give Him gifts like toys. But they gave Him their best as they had determined in their heart before they left the east (II Cor. 9:7). Give God your best all the time, irrespective of what someone else around you is giving.

Again, though the gifts were for Jesus, it was obvious that the child Jesus would not be able to use them considering His age. These wise men did not bother about who would use the gifts or how the gifts would be used. As far as they were concerned, they had given the gifts to the Lord. Don't involve yourself with how the gifts you give to God are used. Some people even monitor church leaders’ use of tithes and offerings. Others want to know how a fellow brother uses a gift from them. A gift to the Lord should be given to the Lord without looking back.

The attitude of giving and the gifts given are both important to God. Even the packaging of our gifts to God must not be shabby or poor. We must remember the kind of God we are giving to. He is the great God full of majesty, to whom nothing can be added or removed; He has the whole world in His hands. We must give to Him in utmost joy, respect and honour. We must learn from the shepherds and give the best to the Lord in the best way. 

Prayer/Action
*Ask God for grace not to withhold anything He wants you to give out, in Jesus’ name.
*Receive grace to be a joyful giver, in Jesus’ mighty name.
*Ask God to remember all your gifts and bless you in multiple fold, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I refuse to fail in anything I do because God is not a failure, in the name of Jesus.

Blessed in all Things

Wednesday 11 October
READ: Josh. 1:1-8   
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 1: 1-6

Prosperity is blessing from God, the evidence of God's blessing upon a man's life, The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich...: Prov.10:22. But not too many of God's people recognise that one way that God prospers a man is through meditating on God's Word, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success: Josh. 1:8.

Through meditating on the Word, divine ideas, courage, strength, direction, guidance and sound mind come upon a man and these are the vital ingredients of prosperity. Ask great men of God and even ordinary people who have had breakthrough in life, they will tell you that meditation is vital. One great man of God in Nigeria once said that his study of the Word is not complete without time to meditate and that it is during meditation that great understanding and ideas that have made him what he is today come to him.

Discouragement, downcastness and all enemies of success disappear in the place of meditation on God's Word. God spoke to Joshua at a time of great challenge, that the way out is meditating day and night on God's Word. God's recipe cannot fail. If you desire prosperity and good success, create time for God's Word in your mouth, mind and act on it; the rest is testimony. A mind filled with God's Word is a life full of good success. Only God's Word can provide the sound mind, inspiration, intelligence and focus that are needed for a man to succeed in any area of life. Don't just study, meditate on the Word for the strength of it to manifest in your life. If truly you deserve all-round prosperity as God promised Joshua, deploy every means and technology within your reach to study and meditate on God's Word.

Money is not the first ingredient for a successful life; it is godly ideas and instructions. The earth belongs to God, He does not forget where He kept what, including the best of the earth. It is in hearing Him that you are delivered from hitting and digging the wrong location. He opened a two leave gate for Cyrus and handed to him the riches that were shrouded in darkness. If only you can get connected to this God and abide in Him through His Word, surely He will guide you to the best of the earth.

Prayer/Action
*Ask God to flood your heart with His Word, in the mighty name of Jesus.
*Ask that the strength of His Word will manifest fully in your life, in Jesus’ name.
*Pray that the Word of God will always prevail over every situation of your life, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
O you gates of delay, broken promises, unfulfilled dreams, today, I demolish you by fire, in the name of Jesus.

Pray for your Jerusalem

Tuesday 10 October
READ: Psa. 122 :6 
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 122:1-9

The words in our anchor text are words of instruction and divine command; not mere advice or just another suggestion. In fact, the verse attaches a blessing to those who fulfil the condition. There is a level of prosperity exclusively reserved by God for those who love their Jerusalem enough to pray for her. God is sensitive and personal with those who love what He loves. Jerusalem is God's own land. It is the city of David and the centre of the many covenants God has with the Commonwealth of Israel. This is a powerful key to unlocking God's treasure chests of abundance.

There are both demographic and spiritual implications of Jerusalem as used in this scripture. Firstly, the demographic and literal sense of the word relates to God’s special love for the Jewish race. It also refers to Jerusalem as the centre of the Jewish nation because of God’s covenant with Abraham through David, and perfected in Jesus Christ. This places a responsibility on people of all races who share in the blessing of Abraham through redemption by the Blood of Jesus to love and pray for the Jewish nation and it's precious people. Secondly, the word has spiritual and figurative implications because the land where you live is your Jerusalem. The local assembly you fellowship with is your Jerusalem. The village, home and family you come from are as Jerusalem is to the Jewish people.

God expects us to mature in our prayer culture and quit praying only for ourselves and our needs. Pray for the land, the church and the people of your nativity. There are many reasons to watch and read both national and international news. Some people watch television just to complain about what the government has or has not done. Others watch the daily news only to fall into depression over the bad value of their currency in the stock exchange market or the recent news of terrorist attacks and the devastation they are wrecking all over the world. But there is another kind of people who have understanding of this scripture and watch the news to gather prayer points and prophetic declarations for their Jerusalem.

Gossiping about the leadership of your local church, rather than praying for it, is not the way to prosper. Being the dishonest, rebellious and a trouble shooter in the family is not going to bring prosperity. It will only attract woes and calamity. The sure way to prosper according to God, is to pray  for, not complain about your Jerusalem. Where is your Jerusalem? And what are you doing about the peace thereof, praying or complaining.?

Prayer/Action
*Ask God to show you mercy for ignorantly complaining and being complacent about praying for the peace of your Jerusalem.
* Stretch your hands and decree peace over the city of Jerusalem, your nation and local church.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month I will not labour in vain, my effort will yield positive results, I shall not work for another to consume, in the name of Jesus.

Using the Name of Jesus II

Monday 9 October
READ: Prov. 18:10
MORE LESSON:  Col. 3:16-17

The phrase, ‘in the Name of Jesus’ is not just a theological recitation to punctuate prayer or a church cliche to make people feel good. The Name of Jesus is not a magic word you hurriedly call out to for safety, at the slightest surprise or incident. The Name of Jesus is not the name of another prophet or good man of some high religious pedigree. The Name of Jesus is a place in the spirit. It is a place of authority and spiritual government, and our anchor text plainly confirms it. It says that in righteousness, we can run to the Name of the Lord and find safety. What does that mean? If you ponder a little more on our conclusion from the first part of yesterday’s study, you will find the answer. The Name of Jesus is the Authority of Jesus, therefore, running to the Name of the Lord Jesus is placing a demand on the Authority of the Name of Jesus in times of trouble. This is as a soldier would run to a strong tower during a fire threat at the war front.

Don't wait for things to happen when you have the power to dictate what happens by using the Name of Jesus. Run to the Name of Jesus! Go for it! Don't make the Name of Jesus an alternative. Those who run to the Name of Jesus will find all that they need in the Name of Jesus. To use that name is to deploy, to engage, to activate or commit the power of Jesus to work. This is important because the power and value of the Name of Jesus is not only determined by the owner of the name but also by the user of the name. This is what makes one Christian different from the other. The Name of Jesus on your lips will only be as potent as your relationship with Jesus is, because delegated authority feeds on relationships.

In the same way that you cannot go to an occasion in the name of someone you do not know; it would be impersonation and sheer deceit to use the Name of Jesus when you have no working relationship with Him. This is the reason why many ‘Christians’ go about powerless even though they call the Name of Jesus all the time. God gave us the Name of Jesus to live by. From the Cross of Calvary to the end of time, the devil and his cohorts will never forget the colossal power in the Name of Jesus. So every time you come face to face with darkness, boldly and with full conviction in your heart, relentlessly use the Name of Jesus.

Prayer/Action
*Decree that you are set free from any form of demonic oppression by the divine power in the Name of Jesus
*Ask the Lord for grace to be more intimate with Jesus and stronger in authority over life circumstances.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I refuse to be a victim of evil circumstances this month, in the name of Jesus.