Godly Heritage

Friday 10 November
READ: Prov. 30:11-17.   
MORE LESSON: Prov. 3:1-4

The rate of mortality among the youths is alarming. Many reasons have been attributed for this, such as road accident, drug abuse, and homicide. It was also found that most of those with drug abuse and homicidal tendencies are known to have no proper upbringing by their parents or have rejected home training. Such people violate God's commandments, thus forfeiting the benefits, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee: Exo. 20:12.

God can shorten the lifespan of a generation that does not walk in obedience to Him as it happened to the Israelites in the wilderness (Num. 14:26-30). In every generation, the responsibility lies on both the parents to give a godly heritage of the knowledge of God to their children and on  the children to readily take godly instructions, My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee: Prov. 3:1-2. Moreover, God wants the young generation to learn from both their biological and spiritual parents.

God will not compromise His standard in any generation. The Bible says, The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it:  Prov. 30:17. Our text also condemns haughtiness; learn contentment and self-control, don't seem to be pure in your own eye.

Godliness brings long life while sin and vices are the speedy lane to destruction and untimely death. As parents are concerned that their children prosper in academics and career, so also they should be concerned about their spiritual and social well-being. Show interest in what devices your child can access in this age of Information and Communication Technology; let your child not be wasted by the crave for freedom and pleasure. Children also should submit to training and counsel because at the end of the day, they enjoy the good return before the parents can benefit from it. The best heritage that any parent can leave for their children today is not material possessions, good as that may be, it is godly living. The wealth that is built at the expense of godly living will be destroyed by ungodly acts. Parents and children be warned.

Prayer/Action
*  Pray that you will leave a godly heritage for your children, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that the world system will not corrupt the heritage you are building for your children, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that the lost heritage in your family be restored by the mercy of God, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I declare there is a new song for me this month, the world will hear it and rejoice with me, in the mighty name of Jesus.

12 Holy Healthy Habits II

Thursday 9 November
READ: Gen.1:29    
MORE LESSON:  Rom.8:1-13

The first chapter of the book of Genesis contains not just facts and figures of the story of creation but also about God's recommended feeding habits for mankind. The diet God gave people at the beginning of creation was fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. Man was created by God to live on three dimensions; as a spirit, he lives in a soul and has a body. And throughout Bible days and even contemporary times God is seen to be greatly participating in the spiritual, soul, and bodily well-being of His Children. God gave us His Word and His Spirit to nourish our spirit, He gave us His love, joy and peace to nourish and renew our mind and also gives us timely instructions on how to live in good hygiene and health.

The Christian walk has been greatly misunderstood  by some people to be strictly a spiritual voyage, giving directions only for the spirit dimension of man. On the contrary, the Word of God is full of healthy feeding and living habits that even science has found to be the best way to live. Scripture- obeying people are the healthiest on earth because the Bible is balanced with wisdom and nourishment for the total man. Jesus says, Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out: Jn. 6:37. Jesus is ready to break the shackles that bind us; He longs to set us free if only we will permit it. Our worries, evil habits, nervous tensions, and fears will be gone when we do His bidding (Phil. 4:13). He says, These things have I spoken unto you ... that your joy might be full: Jn. 15:11. The devil says freedom is found in disobedience, but this is falsehood (John 8:44). Take all of these habits to Christ and lay them at His feet. He will joyfully give you a new heart and the power you need to break any evil habit and become a child of God (Ezek. 11:18, 19).

Divine healing is God's responsibility to us but divine health is our responsibility to our body. The Scripture is very clear about what your body really is - the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it must be handled in the most holy and honourable way by us, in a way that is suitable to the Lord of this temple (1 Cor. 6:19). If this body is a temple, then we cannot afford to perform harmful experiments like using cigarette to smoke it up because it is not a chimney, it is a temple.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the Word of God will always guide your life, in Jesus’ name.
* Proclaim that you will be healthy-spirit, soul and body, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you break off unhealthy habits, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S  PROPHETIC PRAYER
Lion of the tribe of Judah, arise, spare not, prove Your power to every human manifesting as a dangerous enemy to my life, in the name of Jesus.

12 Holy Healthy Habits I

Wednesday 8 November
READ: Prov. 3:7-8  
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 91:16

The Bible rates health very high on the list of importance (3 John 1:2). Man's mind, spiritual nature, and body are all interrelated and interdependent. God gave health rules because He knows what is best for the body (Deuteronomy 6:24, Exodus 23:25). A bondservant of Christ should eat and drink all to the glory of God - using only "that which is good" (Isa.55:2, 1Corinthians10:31). If God said something is not fit to eat, He must have a good reason. He is not a dictator, but a loving Father. All His counsels are for our good. So if God withholds a thing from us, it is because such does not benefit us (Psa. 84:11). Let us see a list of 12 holy and totally healthy habits dug up from the Word of God:

1. Eat your meals at regular intervals (Eccl.10:17).
2. Don't overeat (Prov. 23:2, Lk.21:34).
3. Make mealtime a happy time (Eccl. 3:13).
4. Don't harbour envy or hold grudges (Prov. 14:30, Matt. 5:23,24).
5. Balance work and exercise with sleep and rest (Exo. 20:9,10, Eccl. 2:22, 23; 5:12, Psa. 127:2).
6. Keep your body clean (Isa. 52:11).
7. Avoid all harmful stimulants. 
8. Bury body waste to avoid disease (Deut. 23:12-13).
9. Avoid eating animals that are strangled (Acts 15:20,29;21:25).
10. Avoid eating animals that die by themselves (Lev.17:15;22:8, Deut. 14:21, Ezek. 4:14).
11. Do not eat animal fat or blood (Gen. 9:4, Lev. 3:17; 7:23-27; 17:10-14, Deut. 12:16).

[Note: Recent scientific studies have confirmed the fact that most heart attacks result from a high cholesterol level in the blood -and that the use of "fats" is largely responsible for this high level. Also, the blood can transfer diseases. Science is just catching up with the Bible.]

12. Put full trust in the Lord (Prov. 4:20-22; 19:23).
God's counsels and rules are always for our good, just as good parents' rules and counsels are best for their children. God holds us accountable (Jam. 4:17). The reason for restricting our diet is because we are the holy children of a holy God (Deut. 14:1-3).

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to  help you develop useful habits, in Jesus’ name.
* Declare that your water and bread are blessed and they shall be for health and healing for you, in Jesus’ name.
*  Ask for grace to be a doer of these words, and not a hearer only, deceiving yourself.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, this eleventh month, prove to the world that You are the faithful miracle working God, in the name of Jesus.

Comrade in Compassion

Tuesday 7 November
READ: Heb. 4: 14 - 16          
MORE LESSON:  Rom. 12: 15

God allows us to go through some things so that we can bring succor to people who are passing through such things. Jesus advocates for us because He has experienced the temptations and struggles that we face as humans. Heb. 4: 15 says, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. In other to save humans who are flesh and blood, Jesus had to leave His divinity and manifest as flesh and blood: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil: Heb 2:14. It is good to  associate with people's weakness and empathize with them.  We shouldn't judge or condemn people when we do not even have an idea how it feels to experience what they are going through.

This brings to mind the story I heard on the news years ago. There was a very rich lady named Paris Hilton of the Hilton Conglomerate family pedigree.  Being from a rich family, she couldn't relate to the struggle of the poor and destitute but regarded them as second class people.  She lived in luxury and partied around in extravagance. One day she was driving while drunk so the police picked and detained her for 23 days. She was put in a small room with no phone or electronic device, except a Bible. She said she read the Bible till she got tired of reading it. She came out of the place refined and never remained the same again. When she was released, her family welcomed her back and spent a lot to make her comfortable and get over the trauma of the detention. But she couldn't get her mind off the many people she met in the prison who had no family to receive them when they leave the prison. Many therefore go back to committing crime so that they could be locked up again. They have no one and nothing out there in the world and actually feel more secured and catered for in prison than out and free.

Having experienced the struggles of these people, she took it upon herself to help rehabilitate people who have come out of prison and re-integrate them into the community. Instead of wasting her money on wild-living, she found a purpose; using it to help ex-convicts settle back to a decent life after living prison.  We must be compassionate and identify with the pains of people. By the reason of grace, we might have been lifted above the struggles of other people but we should not despise them. This doesn't mean that we should desire to be comrades in struggle with them, but we can be comrades in compassion. Remember, this high priest of ours understands our weaknesses for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin (Heb. 4:15).

Prayer/Action
*  Ask God to give you a compassionate heart.
* Pray that you will be a source of blessing and encouragement to people going through difficult times.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, by Your love and mercy, settle me before this month runs out, change my waiting to a testimony, in the name of Jesus.