Peace like a River

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare 

Peace like a River

Sunday, 4 August

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Philippians 4:6-8 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

MORE LESSON: 2 Thessalonian 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

One virtue that is missing in our world today is peace. The simple reason why this is so is because the world has failed to acknowledge Jesus, the Prince of peace. Until His kingdom come where He reigns over all, the earth will not experience peace. Jesus once said, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household: Matthew 10:34-36.

This statement of Jesus was not negating the fact that He is the Prince of peace. He said these words to His disciples to make them know that on account of Him, the world will be set in confusion. Because the world will refuse to acknowledge His lordship, other “lords” who will impoverish them and take away their peace will rule the people. The confusion, corruption and insecurity all over the world today is as a result of other lords whom the world is hand-inglove with and they have succeeded in enthroning themselves over the world. Surely, this confusion will grow worse until Jesus comes to take the centre stage when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our God and His Christ.

This same confusion in the larger society is happening in homes that refuse to allow Jesus reign as Lord. The reason for all the troubles in your life and family is simply because you have not given Jesus the authority to oversee your home. Peace like a river will flood your home if only you will invite Jesus in today. If you will agree to rule your home in accordance to Biblical instructions, your home will experience rest because Jesus will take full control. The battle will no longer be yours, but the Lord’s.

You can only “be careful for nothing” and hand over everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving if Jesus is the Lord of your home. Those who fail to do so will fear and faint. But those who acknowledge Him as Lord will acclaim, The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Prayer/Action

* Thank God for His peace in your life, family and ministry.

* Pray against everything that hinders and steals the peace of God from you.

* Declare the peace of God upon your life and all that concerns you using Philippians 4:7 and 2 Thessalonians 3:16.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: To every force of darkness set against my destiny, assignment and family, in the second half of 2024, let there be light now, in the powerful name of Jesus.

Keep Hope Alive

Keep Hope Alive

Saturday, 3 August

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Romans 4:16-24 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

MORE LESSON: Job 14:7-9 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

God called Abraham and promised him a child at age 75 but at about 100, the child had still not come. At a point, Abraham got so weary that he suggested to God that Eleazar his servant should become his first son but God insisted that He would give him his own son. Abraham could have thought that God was already late because he was 100 years old. He would have concluded that no child would come anymore, as the situation seemed hopeless. However, it is written concerning Abraham that ...he against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be: Rom 4:18. Abraham kept hope alive even when all hope seemed to be lost. God is amazing and no situation is hopeless as far as he is concerned. If your case seems hopeless, I want you to know that God is a specialist in hopeless situations. When men call it hopeless, that is when God loves to show up. 

When you get to the point where things cannot work anymore, there are two things you can do.

1. Don't give up hope. Even when there is evidence that things will not work anymore, keep hope alive. Don't ever conclude that a matter has gone beyond redemption. There is no situation that He cannot redeem. With God, there are no impossibilities and there is no lateness. Whenever God shows up, that is the right time for action. 

2. Take up responsibility. Abraham kept fulfilling the covenant of God; he gave tithes (Genesis14:18-20), entertained strangers (Genesis18:1-8), kept the circumcision and did all other things he should do. Do not say that what you are expecting is not forthcoming and so decide that you will stop doing what you should do for God and men. There are certain responsibilities we must take even in the midst of hopeless situations. When you are in a hopeless situation keep doing the right things. Keep believing, keep serving God, keep building capacity, keep doing the works that align with your faith and stay diligent in prayer. Do not resign to hopelessness and sit down doing nothing. Don't give in to complaining and murmuring about your situation.

Also, when situations seem hopeless, you must take heed to cut off everything that can hinder you from seeing the hand of God in your life. Remember; the Hand of the Lord is not too short that it cannot deliver but your sins have separated you from me: Isaiah 59:1- 2. Deal with every known and unknown sin; confess it, repent and forsake it, and God will not have a reason for not answering you. God is good; keep your hope alive in Him.

Prayer/Action

* Thank God for access to His promises over your life. 

* Pray against distractions from holding onto the promises of God.

* Give God praise because you know that He is coming through for you.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Oh LORD, in the hollow of Your hand my destiny is secured, in this new month of August in Jesus' mighty name.

Agents of Turnaround II

Agents of Turnaround II

Friday, 2 August

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

MORE LESSON: Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Be an agent of what God has done for you in someone else’ life; that is Christianity. God told Abraham that He will bless him but He will not stop at blessing him; He will make him a blessing as recorded in Genesis 12:2: ...And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing....

Every blessing of God in our life is two-fold, the part meant for us also called the bread and the part that is capable of making us a blessing called the seed. So here is how the Bible puts it in Isaiah 55:10: For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.

Some people think that they got their fortune through their hard work. This is only partially true because your efforts can only yield in response to the rain God sends on it. So, between your hard work and your fortune is God’s system of increase. If God does not send you increase, then you will labour in vain. It is a known fact about God that He does nothing without a purpose. So, suffice to say that He gives increase to your labour so that you can enjoy and also become an extension of that blessing to others. 

Interestingly, this is also a system of multiplication because God does not want you to keep going through the cycle of toiling all your life. This means that when He blesses you, He gives you both bread and seed together. So that while you eat your bread to satisfy your hunger today, you can sow your seed to ensure consistent increase in that area. It means, you really are only doing yourself a favour when you become a blessing to others. It brings security to your blessing. Without sowing your seed, no matter the size of the bread, you will exhaust it one day. But when you sow your seed, it keeps multiplying itself. This is why the Bible says that it is better to give than to receive.

God makes us agents of turnaround so that He can perpetuate that dimension of His blessing on earth. Whatever God does, embedded in it is the system of continuity. So, to ensure that the blessings of God continues to flow in your life, sow your seeds; become an agent of turn around. God will make happen for you what you make happen for others.

Prayer/Action

* Ask God to send men that will take you to your desired height in life and destiny.

* Pray for wisdom to sow good seeds.

* Ask God to make you an agent of turnaround in the life of others.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Father, I command every red light of 2024 to turn to green light today, in the matchless name of Jesus.

TODAY’S FASTING FOCUS: Divine approval; Psalm 89:20, 1 Samuel 9:16-17

Agents of Turnaround I

Agents of Turnaround I

Thursday, 1 August

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: 2 Kings 5:1-19 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. 3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. 8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused. 

17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD. 18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing. 19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

MORE LESSON: II Corinthians 6:1-11 

1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

The Bible in 2 Kings 5:1-3 records: Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

Naaman was a strange man; he was a leper in the age of spear and sword, he was an honorable man and helped of the Lord. Naaman was a stranger to the covenant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob yet he was enjoying the defense that comes for the children of the covenant, but he was leper. Whatever is a “but” over your destiny, I send them out by fire. Naaman was a leper but he had a turnaround and you will also have a turn.

Everything remain in the same position until an external force acts on it. There are situations in our lives we can’t turn; someone has to turn it. Naaman had a turnaround in his health status from leprosy to good health. Leprosy is a stigma; though Naaman was a general, he had a stigma of being a leper. Every stigma in your life are taken away today, in Jesus’s name. Whatever is bringing you shame and affliction I declare them reversed, in Jesus’ name.

Naaman went to Israel and became healed and the question is: How did it happen? A little maid who was a captive of war waiting on Naaman’s wife gave the information Naaman needed to access his turnaround as recorded in 2 Kings 5:2-3: And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

Naaman must have been grateful to the little maid by the time he had a turn around and his treatment of the little maid would have become different. Although she was a captive, through her, her master had a turnaround. Her own captivity too would have turned around. Life is turn by turn; you pull someone down you will come down but if you raise someone up you will go up. The little girl had a turnaround from captivity to a child in the house.

Christianity has passed the age of bless me, keep me and pour on me. Genesis 12:1-4 says: …I will bless you and you will be a blessing…. If God has turned your situation around, make sure to reciprocate that because by so doing, you may experience a double turnaround.

Prayer/Action

* Ask God to help you to be His instrument of change upon the earth starting from your neighbourhood.

* Ask God to bless you with quality destiny helpers. 

* Pray that you will not be a victim of evil plans.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Thank You Jesus my Shepherd and Champion, for the month of August 2024.