Be a Light

Friday 29 December
READ: Matt. 5:11-16 
MORE LESSON:  Dan. 5:1-17

Regardless of colour, race, tribe, background or other human differences, everyone loves light. Light is vital to every good and crucial activity on earth; for example making food by plants is impossible without light. In fact, all life of man and animals depends on light. God is light; in Him there is no darkness (I Jn. 1:5). The period of darkness that prophet Isaiah said would cover the whole earth is now. Despite the great technological progress and scientific knowledge of this age, there's great darkness in men's lives in all the nations. New diseases are being discovered and combated daily; however, some, such as HIV, cancer, have defied solution. For this and other reasons, Jesus was manifested and is calling on His followers to be light in this dark world.

Being a light means to live radiant and reflective life. It starts with accepting Jesus the Light into your life, In him was life; and the life was the light of men: Jn. 1:4. This acceptance must be evident by allowing the life of Christ to reflect through you in the following ways: First, share your redemption testimony with others around you like the woman of Samaria (Jn. 4:39). Second, be an example of godliness wherever you are (Phil. 2:15). Let people around you see and testify of the virtues of integrity, honesty and the likes in you.

Third, manifest the joy of the Lord in all situations, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh. 8:10). Allow God's unquenchable joy to manifest in you to give hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the downcast and joy to the sorrowful. This is possible because you have God the source of all joy inside you. Let joy radiate through you and draw men to the experience of God's love. Negative confessions, pity party, expression of hopelessness, down-cast acts, dejection, faithlessness, suicide tendencies and the likes are not acts of the light. No child of God must indulge in them come what may. They negate the light and will not attract anyone to Christ.

As lights, believers must rise above board, confront challenges and not give in to them. Light is attractive when it's bright, not dull. Believers must be bright at all times, including in difficult times because, ...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning: Psa. 30:5.
Child of God, be bright and positive enough to be the light that you are meant to be.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the glory of God will reflect through you this year, in Jesus’ name.
* Declare that you are a son of light, you will not walk in darkness, nor manifest works of darkness, in the name of Jesus.
* Ask God to defend the light of your destiny, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father of all good things, thank You for giving me a day that is guaranteed beyond the present, I will rejoice and be glad from year to year, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Jesus Joy

Thursday 28 December
READ: Jn. 8:56-59   
MORE LESSON:  Lk. 10:17-21

The dictionary defines joy as having great happiness. Happiness means having or feeling pleasure of satisfaction. Joy goes beyond being happy. Usually, when men are happy they possess something--they are newly married, just built a house, bought a car, gave birth to a baby, acquired a new wardrobe, got a new job or promotion at their place of work or have enough money to buy what they desire. These are good things of life that God the eternal Father delights to give to His children (Matt. 7:11). As a Giver of good things, He will surely give you good gifts this year, in Jesus' name.

Yet this type of joy is limited because when joy is tied to the possession of material things it implies that when those things are absent or taken away, the joy comes to an end. This is temporary joy. However, Jesus joy starts from within and is permanent. Apostle Peter in I Pet. 1:8 calls it unspeakable joy. It's a joy that starts with reconciliation and peace with God. It's the joy of having hope for eternity with one's name written in the Book of Life (Lk. 10:20); of having victory over the devil, the world and the flesh (I Jn. 4:4). It is the joy of knowing that eternity is secure for further glory and rest with God in a new world that is free of crisis, pain and sorrow (Rev. 21:1-4). This type of joy is for now and eternity.

It manifested in the Hebrew boys that defied one of the greatest kings of their time and entered the fiery furnace. From biblical times to contemporary time, this joy is present in tribulation (Jn. 16:30) and it defies external pain. Paul the apostle was one man who suffered severally for the kingdom of God, including physical assaults and pain. On one of such occasions he declared, ...the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy…: Acts 20:23-24.

Such is the joy of the Lord that no external or internal pain can quench it.  That is where all men should seek for joy, in Christ Jesus. For all other sources are temporary, transient and short lived. The greatest joy a man can ever have is the joy that your name is written in the Book of Life! What is your joy, Jesus or other things?

Prayer/Action
*  Ask the Lord to fill your heart with overcoming joy, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Pray that the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, in Jesus’ name.
* Rebuke every seed of sadness and bitterness that can deprive you of joy, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
By the peace of the Lord that passes all understanding, I shall end this year in peace and not in pieces, in the name of Jesus.

Who is this Jesus?

Wednesday 27 December
READ: Matt. 16:13-17  
MORE LESSON:  Jn. 6:51-58, 69

The Bible is very clear about who Jesus is. Although different people and religions have different opinions about who He is, we have compelling evidence of His person and life more than any religious leader, past and present. While some see Him as prophet, others call Him an idol, mediator, revolutionist etc. Even in His own day, there were controversies surrounding Him; ...Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets: v 14. But, by the Spirit, Peter declared the truth, ...Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God: v16, which is the position that Heaven and earth must accept. However, knowing Jesus as the Son of God in the head is not sufficient; it must include a personal encounter to experience Him as Lord  and Saviour.

An old Christian once proved the existence of God in an atheist conference by eating an orange and asking the audience to describe the taste. They responded that he was the only one who could tell the taste. Then he explained that only those who have tasted God can tell His impact. Similarly, without experiencing Jesus personally, you can never tell who He is. A mental experience is nothing compared to a personal encounter with Him.

Who is Jesus to you? Celebrating Jesus begins with encountering Him.

Prayer/Action
*  Tell God to reveal Jesus to you the way you have never known Him before.
* Ask that every sin/veil that has covered your eyes, not allowing you to see Jesus, be removed today, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to open your eyes to see the mysteries of God, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
The circle of hopelessness is broken this day, my soul (put your name) rise up and celebrate, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Faithful Shepherd

Tuesday 26 December
READ: Lk. 2:6-18 
MORE LESSON:  2 Kgs. 7:3-11

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus today, our focus is the lesson to learn from the records of the three shepherds who visited the child Jesus in the manger. It is a lesson of faithfulness to a cause. First, they were faithful in going to look for the baby that the angel told them about, although they were not directly instructed, ...Ye shall find the babe wrapped...in a manger: v. 12 was not a direct instruction to go and search. Again, according to the gospel of Matthew, Herod directed them to come back and give him the location where Jesus was, with the aim of killing the baby.

The shepherds at the instruction of the Angel refused to go back to Herod; they were faithful to the new King. Although they never knew what Jesus stood for, they were faithful in spreading the news about the child Jesus according to what the angel told them, that Jesus Christ the Saviour was born and that this blessing was for all men. In verse 17, ...they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child, they simply turned their privilege to responsibility and today whenever the birth of Jesus is reported, the shepherds are mentioned.

Redemption is a privilege, but after we have received it, it becomes a responsibility to faithfully tell others about the Saviour that we have found. To the shepherds this was good news, as indeed it is today because the angel said, ...behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy... then the angel added ...which shall be to all people: v. 10.

Just as the shepherds spread the news to all people as it is due, the people of God today must spread the news also; we must not keep quiet. Just as the lepers, who walked into God's free provision after the Assyrians fled because God made them to hear noise, said ...This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren't sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let's go back and tell the people at the palace: 2 Kgs. 7:9 (NLT). It is possible that some believers are going through some calamity because they have refused to share the good news about salvation.

Today can be a healing day if we truly repent of keeping to ourselves what is meant to be shared with all. Share the good news today.  

Prayer/Action
*  Ask God to help all believers to be faithful to soul winning, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to lead you to someone today with who you will share the goodness.
* Ask God to anoint your tongue afresh to be able to spread the goodness, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Jesus, You reign eternally as my Lord and Saviour, Your power over me and my love for You shall never end, in the name of Jesus.