I Will Make You I

Sunday 17 June
READ: Malachi 3:2-4
MORE LESSON: Romans 5:3-5

Sometimes ago, one of my daughters in church was misbehaving and the mother came to report her to me. I prayed and even placed her on days of fasting but all efforts to stop her proved abortive as she still continued in the act. So one day I called her, and I told her that the Bible says that foolishness abounds in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him (Prov. 22:15). Then I gave her a few strokes of the cane and from that day she never again repeated that thing (but looking back maybe I would have done the correction differently). She's now married to a pastor and recently she brought her child to me. I looked at both of them and I asked the child; “How will you assess this woman?” He said, “She is the best woman on earth”. Something made her the best woman on the earth; fasting, prayer, and cane. She said; ”Daddy this is my child”. I told her that was what we were disciplining her for, and that good day would not have become a reality if we didn't correct her. What we did yesterday has made her a better person today.
The point is this; the making process is never a palatable one. It involves pain, hardship and many other unpleasant experiences. But all these happen so as to reveal the excellence of what is being made. Everyone likes gold and wants to own golden articles. In fact, some people will do unimaginable things only to ensure that they own it. Gold is however refined by very hot fire; the fire needs to be hot enough to burn off the dross and reveal the beauty of the gold. Assuming the gold has a choice and it decides not to go through the flames, would it still portray the same radiance? Of course not. In the same way, God makes us go through very difficult and unpleasant situations. I tell God all the time; “Whatsoever You want to do with me to make me what You want me to be, Father, go ahead. Don't look at my complaints, God; just help me reach the prize”.
As we pray this type of prayer, accepting whatever God will want to do, we must also remember that we also still have a role to play in God making us. Certain things God wants to do for us include helping us to live a disciplined life, watch over our relationships, walk in a spiritual positive environment and being willing to accept God's orders and ordinance. He who helped others ahead of us will help to make us.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for grace to go through the process to your greatness, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that as clay in the potter’s hand, God will mould you for His glory and beauty.
* Ask God to make you an instrument of blessing to the lives of others around you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Faithful God of my fathers, I shall be faithful to You to the end. Strengthen my hands, in the mighty name of Jesus.

You are Different

Friday 15 June
READ: I Peter 2:9-10
MORE LESSON: Exodus 8:20-24

There is a popular story about an eaglet that was hatched and grew up in the midst of some chicks. As long as the eaglet did not know the difference between itself and the chicks, it kept walking, hopping, and flying low and over a short distance. But the day the eaglet looked up and saw an eagle just like it flying and soaring high, it took off from the ground and went up high in the sky.
Many Christians do not know that they are unique, peculiar, and special people. I Pet. 2:9 says: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you give your life to Jesus, you are different from the common man walking on the street. God re-created you in Christ Jesus so that even when men around you are falling, you should stand tall and be a shining light to them. Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee... Isaiah 60:1-3.
Exodus 1:15-19 unveils how unique God's people are. The midwives testified before Pharaoh: that the Hebrew women unlike the Egyptian women are lively, and delivered before the midwives come in unto them. Beloved, you are different from unbelievers. Allow this truth to sink into you and rule your day. The diseases and afflictions that overtake unbelievers cannot prevail over you because God has promised to keep such diseases away from you and to place them on your enemies (Deut.7:14-15). God has promised to preserve you when you go out and when you come in (Ps.121:8). Angels are all over you (Ps.34:7) and they have instructions to watch over you (Ps.91:12). So you cannot be involved in an accident.
A thousand devils cannot touch your life, you need not fear to travel anywhere, any time. God said, because you have set your love upon Him, He will deliver you: He will set you on high because you have known His name. You shall call upon Him, and He will answer you. He will be with you in trouble. He will deliver you, and honour you. With long life will He satisfy you, and show you His salvation. (Psalm 91:14-16). You must be so special to God for Him to make such sweet promises to you. As you begin your day, walk in the consciousness that you are different from everyone you meet on the street. This is because of Jesus in you; you are very special, and belong to the royal family of the great King.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that God's grace in your life will make the difference in your endeavours.
* Declare that you will be exempted from evil.
* Pray that Jesus in your life will make a difference among your peers.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: I shut the door of affliction permanently in my life, I decree a new season, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Forgive and Rise Again

Saturday 16 June
READ: Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75
MORE LESSON: Acts 1:15-23

Peter was an influential figure in Jesus' team. When Jesus predicted His suffering and death, Peter boasted and vowed that he was going to die with Jesus. However, all it took was a little damsel to question him; he swore and denied ever knowing Jesus. He fulfilled what Jesus had prophesied: Before the cock crows thou shalt deny me thrice . . .and he went out and wept bitterly: Matt 26: 75. However, he did what needed to be done: he wept bitterly in repentance. After crying, Peter forgave himself and continued with God; and later in the book of Acts we saw the same Peter become a great preacher.
Peter was not the only one who missed it during the trial and suffering of Jesus. Another person was Judas Iscariot who led soldiers to arrest Jesus. He sold Jesus for thirty shekels of silver; he allowed Satan to rule him from within. A theologian suggested that maybe Judas thought that after betraying Jesus into the hands of His enemies, Jesus would be too powerful to be arrested, and thereafter, he would have made away with the money without any guilty conscience. This still shows that Judas was ruled by the love of money. However, he must have been disappointed when Jesus allowed Himself to be taken. Destiny had already determined for the Son of man to go as it is written concerning Him but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed (Matt 26: 24). After Jesus was crucified, Judas also repented: “I have sinned, I have betrayed the innocent blood” (Matt 27: 4). He refused to spend the money and went to buy a plot of land: …and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out: Acts 1: 18. He committed suicide.
It was Peter who stood up and selected a replacement for Judas: read Acts 1:15-20. Was Peter not also guilty? Yes, he was, but he accepted forgiveness; and rose again. What about Judas; would God have forgiven him? Yes, but he didn't accept the forgiveness; he killed himself. The difference between the two of them is that one forgave himself while the other one refused to forgive himself. When a man refuses to forgive himself in destiny, he is digging a grave for himself. Learn to forgive yourself so that you will not go the way of Judas. It's time to forgive and rise again. If you can just forgive the mistakes of yesterday and face tomorrow, there is hope for you. If your destiny is cut down, don't just sit down weeping; don't commit suicide. Begin the process of healing by first forgiving yourself like Peter did. That's what the Word of the Lord says-Forgive.

Prayer/Action
* Rebuke the forces of guilt and condemnation over your life.
* Receive the forgiveness that Christ has given you and declare your rising.
* Receive by faith courage and power to rise above your past, in Jesus name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Today, I renew my commitment to the God who answers prayer; I shall never have to see another god, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Fool for Christ

Thursday 14 June
READ: Genesis 12: 1 – 4
MORE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 3: 18- 20

Abraham was seventy-five years when the Lord called him to leave his father's house. One may not easily understand the depth of sacrifice it took for a 75 year-old man to leave home and start a journey when his mates were enjoying retirement. The most astonishing thing about Abraham's journey is that people asked him where he was going as he set out of the house and the only answer he had was that he didn't know where. What Abraham did looked very foolish in the natural but he became great for it. Abraham was the seventy-five year old man who decided to be a ‘fool’ if that is what it takes to obey Jehovah. It is bad enough to be the 'fool at forty' as in the popular adage, but a fool at seventy-five is something else altogether. However, when we remember that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, we will gladly choose to be fools for Christ at any age.
When Abraham left home at seventy-five with Sarah, his wife, they had no child. They waited on the Lord for twenty-five years before they had the promised son. Then the Lord demanded for the son to be laid down on the altar of sacrifice, and he acted the ‘fool’ again as he obediently followed God even to the point of laying down ‘his only son’. It is difficult to imagine what he would have told his wife, son and servants as he packed and headed to the Mountain of Moriah to make the ultimate sacrifice. Abraham was 'foolish' enough to take Isaac to the mountain, and lay him down to be sacrificed. The Lord had to quickly call him to stop at the verge of making the sacrifice; it was a test of faith.
There are realms of power and grace that a man can never attain in God until he is willing to be a seen as a fool in order to please God. Obedience to God is never convenient and the instructions of God are not always sensible to the natural mind. We must choose to walk with God and obey Him whatever the cost so that He can showcase our lives as the masterpiece of His grace. If you choose to be a fool for the course of the Lord to flow freely, the Lord will come forth for you; your 'foolishness' will eventually come out as wisdom. Thereafter, you will have results beyond your human thinking, in Jesus name.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to make His wisdom and power known in your life as you act in obedience to divine instructions.
* Pray that you will be sensitive to divine instruction as it comes to you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: This year, this month, even this week, I turn every bitter experience to testimony, in the name of Jesus.