Minister to your Father

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

 Minister to your Father

Thursday, 29 August

 

And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. Genesis 25:28

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Matthew 15:1-9 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

MORE LESSON: Genesis 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

 

Isaac, the son and heir of Abraham had I sons - Esau and Jacob. Without any doubt, he loved both of them as every parent would love his children. But he had his preference. The Bible is very clear on the reason why. He ate the venison that Esau gave him (Genesis 27:4). Esau ministered regularly to his father, giving him something he loved to eat and his father loved him. When you bless somebody regularly with affection and what he or she loves, you promote the bond and it becomes possible for you to receive the best that such person has to give.

If you never learnt anything from Esau before, learn this: minister to your father regularly and consistently, giving him the venison that he loves. You will promote the bond of affection between both of you and the soul of your father will bless you (Genesis 27:4). Your father here, in the first instance, represents your biological parent. Your parents brought you into this world, and most likely, raised you to maturity. You owe them honour, you owe them material blessings and you owe them sustenance, especially in their old age. When you give them these, regularly and consistently, God cannot but bless you with long life, and it shall be well with you on the face of the earth (Ephesians 6:1-3).

Moreover, what you do to your parents is a seed. Your own children will rise up and do the same to you in multiplied forms. Jesus, while preaching on this, rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. The Pharisees taught their people to offer to God what they ought to have given to their parents. “Wrong”, Jesus screamed. They ought to have given unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's (Matthew 15:1-9). Give to God His due and your parents theirs. Then God will multiply His blessings upon your life.

Your ' father ' in the text of today can also be your pastor, your prophet and your spiritual leader who minister the word of God to you regularly. It is scriptural to bless them with material things from time to time, as God provides for you (Galatians 6:6; 1Corinthians 9:7-12; Matthew 10:41). When you do it with joy, you become a partaker of the grace that is upon their lives, and God blesses you greatly (Philippians 4:13-19).Ephesians 6:2-3 exhorts: Honour thy father and mother ; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

 

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God for the life of your biological and spiritual parents.

* Ask the Lord to make you a comfort and a blessing to your parents.

* Ask the Lord to provide for you so that you can bless your parents regularly.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: In blessing, I am blessed and I shall see my desire in the land of the living, in the wonderful name of Jesus

The Lord will Make you Strong

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

The Lord will Make you Strong

Wednesday, 28 August

 

Terrible is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel, he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! Psalm 68:35

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Ephesians 3:14-21 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

 

MORE LESSON: Psalm 68:35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

 

It is God’s desire that you become really strong, so that you can do exploits (Daniel 11:32b). He admonishes His servant in Joshua 1:6- 7,9: Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous.... Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Paul encouraged the Church in Ephesians 6:10 to: Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Also in Ephesians 3:16 he asked them ...to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. In II Timothy 2:1 Paul charged his son in the faith, Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Without any doubt, God wants you to be strong, and He is willing to make you strong indeed. He was the One Who gave strength to Abraham in his old age, and about Sarah his wife, Hebrews 11:11 says: Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed....You too can receive strength today. David was very clear that it was God that strengthened him to run through a troop, to leap over the walls and girded him with strength unto the battle (Psalm 18:39). You too can trust God to clothe you with strength, so you may fulfil His plan for your life. But how can this be?

First, you must submit yourself totally to God; give your life to Christ as your Saviour and Lord. Only then can you be strong in the Lord and in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Second, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit. Actually, the Holy Spirit is the Strength of God: He is the Spirit of might. Jesus said in Acts 1:8: Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be witness unto me. True strength comes only by the Holy Spirit.

Third, you must learn to “eat the word”: the word of God is the fuel for your strength. The more you feed on God's precious word, the stronger you will be. This is why Paul admonished in Colossians 3:16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.

Finally, you must learn to renew your strength from time to time by waiting upon the Lord. We all need this experience, otherwise we will burn out. Even Jesus our Lord during His earthly ministry would get away from the crowd to stay alone in God's presence to rest, to meditate, to worship, to think, to pray, and to prepare for the future. As you wait upon the Lord, your strength shall be renewed day by day (Isaiah 40:30-31).

 

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God who gives strength to His people.

* Ask the Lord to clothe you with His strength.

* Ask the Lord to make you a blessing.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: As the Lord lives, my enemies shall be ashamed and sing my song of victory with me, in the precious name of Jesus.

Build your Life on the Word

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Build your Life on the Word

Tuesday, 27 August

 

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 1 Peter 1:25

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: 1 Peter 1:22-25 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

 

MORE LESSON: Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

 

For you to be a success in time and eternity, take time to build your life on the word of God. Every human being is like grass that appears now and soon is no more. The glory of man is like the flower that fades so quickly but the word of the Lord stands forever. Therefore, the man who walks in the word of the Lord shall live and abide forever (I John 2:17). The word of the Lord is the real food for your spirit man; feed on it daily so you can be strong (Matthew 4:4).

It is the word of God that will give you a clear direction for every area of your life. Meditate on it daily so you will not be confused (Isaiah 30:2, Psalm 119:105), It is the word of God that will give you a clear understanding of the affairs of life. Read it daily so you can be wise as Psalm 119:130 says: The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. It is the word of God that will keep you from all the defilement and pollution of the lusts of this present world.

Meditate on and walk in it to be holy (John 17:17, John 15: 3). The word of God will give you healing and health. Study it so you can be whole (Proverbs 4: 20-22, Psalm 107: 20). The word of God will give you prosperity in every area of your life if you meditate and act on it daily as psalmist oberved in Psalm 1:1-3: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The word of God will give you good success in the affairs of life if you give it real attention. Joshua 1:8 says: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

If you build your life on the philosophies of men, you will only last for a while. If you build your life on the word of God, you will last forever. Make up your mind to give the word of God a prime place in your life and you will be relevant for all generations. In Jeremiah 15:16 the prophet testified: Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

 

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God Who has made His word available to you.

* Pray that the word of the Lord will be revealed to you and prosper your life.

* Ask God to use you to spread His word in every possible way.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Father, I decree that this month will end on a victory note for me, in the excellent name of Jesus.

Be Generous

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Be Generous

Monday, 26 August

 

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

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Philippians 2:1-4 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

 

MORE LESSON: Proverbs 11:24-26 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. 25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. 26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

 

The beauty of life is in giving. John 3:16 says: For God so love the world that He gave his only begotten son, .... This act is the greatest generosity by God to mankind, to restore man to his lost glory. God's mercies to us are new every morning and great is His faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 sums it: ...because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness. Can you imagine such generosity to mankind, that God's mercies are new over us every morning, despite our frailties and shortcomings. In fact, the psalmist affirmed this in Psalm 68:19: Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

One of the true marks of a Christian is generosity. Even people of other religions (Islam, Hinduism, etc) emphasize giving and generosity as key tenets of their faith. Achild of God who is stingy has not yet understood what the Christian life is all about. We are called to give our services, substances, money, treasures, etc to promote the Kingdom of God by meeting needs around us as the Lord enables. Those who are entrusted with substances should be generous to the poor, the widows and the needy. Even secular and public organizations practice corporate social responsibilities (CSR) to give back to the society in appreciation. Imbibe generosity (a giving spirit) into your life.

The Berean Study Bible translates Proverbs 11:24 as: One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. Rich men and women are not remembered by what they have in their bank accounts, but by what they give back to God and the society. You don't have to be rich to be generous but be generous and you will be richer in love and substance. Giving a cup of water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, providing comfort for the troubled are virtues and good works that saints will be commended and rewarded for at the last day (Matthew 25:35-40; Proverbs 19:17). A generous man will always have his needs met by the Lord. Luke 6:38 teaches: Give and it shall be given to you, good measure, press down, shaken together and running over shall men give unto your bosom. It is true that these are hard times globally; the economies of many nations are in shambles. However, the good news is that Philippians 4:19 promises us: My God shall supply all your needs according to his glory by Christ Jesus. Be a generous giver for Kingdom work and in meeting men's needs and you will always appreciate as an asset before God.

 

Prayer/Action

* Pray for the grace to be generous always

* Pray against selfishness.

* Ask God to make you a channel of His blessings to others.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: 2024, I lift my eyes to the God who alone answers prayers. I shall not be disappointed, in the wonderful name of Jesus.