Remember me II

*STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS*
_A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare_

*Remember Me II*
Tuesday 6 November
READ: Genesis 40:1-23
MORE LESSON: II Chronicles 32:1-8

We have been looking at what happens when God remembers a man; chains are broken, pains are healed and the man receives compensation for every affliction. Today, we will look at one more person that was remembered in the Scripture. Joseph was in the prison when he met two servants of the king who were sent to jail. They had dreams which they related to Joseph and he interpreted their dreams. When he was done interpreting their dreams, he made only one request to one of them which was that when he got back to the palace, he should remember him and show him kindness. The Bible says the dreams happened exactly the way Joseph had interpreted them. One of them had his head removed. The second one had his position restored but he forgot about Joseph in prison.
Until God remembers a man, people will always forget about him no matter how helpful he has been to them. Still speaking about Joseph, the Bible says he remained in prison until his word came (Psa. 105:19). Until Heaven remembered him and sent a word of release, the king's servant forgot about him. No wonder the Bible says, ...Cursed be the man that trusteth in man.... Jer. 17:5. Anyone who puts his confidence in man has signed up to fail because the Scripture tells us that the arm of flesh will fail. So why put so much confidence in what you have already been told will fail?
I believe that Joseph learnt it the hard way not to trust in man. It was also possible that Joseph must have thought that meeting the king's servants was God's ordained way of bringing him out of prison. He was probably not wrong but this shifted his attention away from the deliverance of God. It is true that God uses men to give us help, but we must never get to the point where we allow such people to take the place of God in our lives. Everyone that God has used to meet our needs must be honoured as a channel and not the source because only God is the source of help. Just imagine that you were offered a tank of water and a river flowing through your house; which will you go for? The river of course. This is because the river can feed the tank with water but no matter how full the tank is, it cannot contribute meaningfully to the content of a river. In fact, if there is drought, the water in the tank will be exhausted whereas that in the river may still flow.
I admonish you to take your eyes off everyone that is taking the place of God in your life and that situation will receive a supernatural intervention. The end that you expect is only found in God and He can send it through which ever channel He chooses. Therefore, trust in the Lord.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to forgive you where you have fixed your hope on men.
* Pray that you will find grace to always fix your eyes on God for sure help.
* Declare that Heaven shall remember you today.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: In the name of Jesus, I decree the sound of abundance of rain over me, my family and my destiny this month, in the name of Jesus.

The Kingdom of God I

Thursday 1 November
READ: Romans 14:17-19
MORE LESSON: Revelation 11:15

A kingdom is the territory within which a king exercises authority and rule. The king is supreme in his kingdom and his words are considered law. We have different kingdoms: the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is any territory or domain where the authority and rule of God finds expression. This means that if a man makes his life God's territory, that is, God lives in Him and has full authority over him, he becomes the kingdom of God and every characteristic of the Kingdom begins to find expression in his life. Unlike the kingdoms of this world, it is a rare privilege to be part of the kingdom of God, with its very interesting features. The greatest thing that can happen to anyone is for them to become a part of this kingdom.
The Bible says in Rom. 14:17, For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. From this verse, three characteristics of the kingdom of God are obvious:
1. Righteousness: to be righteous means to be in right standing with God, to be reconciled back to God, be at peace with Him and have access to Him. This happens by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Saviour. Therefore, making your life to become the kingdom of God where He rules, gives you access and makes you well pleasing to Him.
2. Peace: this is one vital feature that is missing in many kingdoms of the world. Citizens of God's kingdom enjoy peace that passes human understanding. This doesn't mean that problems will not arise, but they remain peaceful in the midst of the storm. Can you imagine someone sleeping in a capsizing boat? Jesus did. This can only be the result of the peace of the kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus is the Prince of peace and so He understood better.
3. Joy in the Holy Ghost: joy is a state of being happy irrespective of the prevailing situation. Unlike happiness, joy is inwardly controlled and is not affected by the obvious prevailing circumstance; it is produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Everyone desires to be joyful but not everyone is able to attain true joy. The mistake people make most of the time is that they keep looking for the right thing in the wrong place as some think they will find joy when they have married the man or woman of their dream, others think they will find joy when they have attained the peak of their career. True joy is given by the Holy Spirit regardless of the prevailent situation.
Becoming a citizen of God's kingdom makes these things your right. Why don't you become a citizen of this Kingdom today? Invite Jesus to be the Lord and Saviour of your life.

Prayer/Action
* Declare the sovereignty of God over your life and family.
* Ask that the joy, peace and righteousness that characterise God's kingdom will find full expression in your life and family.
* Declare that no sin, sickness or darkness will reign over you because God reigns in you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Father, You gave me ten months that I couldn't pay for and now You have added the eleventh month. Thank You Lord forever, in the name of Jesus.

The Kingdom of God II

Friday 2 November
READ: Matthew 28:18-20
MORE LESSON: Luke 19:11-27

Jesus came to the earth to reconcile man back to God and to grant us access to the kingdom of God. When He was done with His assignment, He returned to Heaven and left us with a promise, ...I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also: Jn. 14: 2-3. One may ask, “Why did Jesus not take His disciples along immediately? Or why is it that we are not taken to Heaven the moment we give our lives to Christ?” The answer is quite simple.
Just as we have duties and responsibilities in other kingdoms, citizens of the kingdom of God have duties and obligations that they must perform. Every citizen of the Kingdom is an ambassador anywhere he/she is found. We have a mandate that we must carry out as stated in our text, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen: Verses 18-20.
We have been given the authority that we need to fulfil the mandate. Jesus expects that just as we have been saved, we should in turn direct others to Him who is the way, the truth and the life so that He can save and translate them from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. In whatever sphere of life you find yourself, be it in education, politics, media, entertainment etc. you have the responsibility of making disciples there. This is why we must not shy away from any sector that God is instructing us to join. God needs representatives in all spheres because, …The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever: Rev. 11:15. The kingdoms of this world must become the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ and we are the agents that will make this happen. God is counting on you; will you disappoint Him?

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks for the privilege of being a member of His kingdom.
* Ask for grace to perform your role in bringing others to His kingdom.
* Pray for the reign of God's kingdom in our nation.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Hallelujah, there shall be an eleventh-hour miracle this eleventh month and the difficult situations of 2018 shall crash, in the name of Jesus.

The Kingdom of God II

Friday 2 November
READ: Matthew 28:18-20
MORE LESSON: Luke 19:11-27

Jesus came to the earth to reconcile man back to God and to grant us access to the kingdom of God. When He was done with His assignment, He returned to Heaven and left us with a promise, ...I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also: Jn. 14: 2-3. One may ask, “Why did Jesus not take His disciples along immediately? Or why is it that we are not taken to Heaven the moment we give our lives to Christ?” The answer is quite simple.
Just as we have duties and responsibilities in other kingdoms, citizens of the kingdom of God have duties and obligations that they must perform. Every citizen of the Kingdom is an ambassador anywhere he/she is found. We have a mandate that we must carry out as stated in our text, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen: Verses 18-20.
We have been given the authority that we need to fulfil the mandate. Jesus expects that just as we have been saved, we should in turn direct others to Him who is the way, the truth and the life so that He can save and translate them from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. In whatever sphere of life you find yourself, be it in education, politics, media, entertainment etc. you have the responsibility of making disciples there. This is why we must not shy away from any sector that God is instructing us to join. God needs representatives in all spheres because, …The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever: Rev. 11:15. The kingdoms of this world must become the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ and we are the agents that will make this happen. God is counting on you; will you disappoint Him?

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks for the privilege of being a member of His kingdom.
* Ask for grace to perform your role in bringing others to His kingdom.
* Pray for the reign of God's kingdom in our nation.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Hallelujah, there shall be an eleventh-hour miracle this eleventh month and the difficult situations of 2018 shall crash, in the name of Jesus.