Peace that Transcends Human Understanding

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Peace that Transcends Human Understanding

Monday, 16 September

 

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

 

MORE LESSON: Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

 

Peace is a state of calm, freedom from strife or discord. It is harmony in personal relationship. Peace encompasses the mental, spiritual and physical well-being of men. A man at peace is physically healthy, mentally sound and spiritually alright. Irrespective of ones position in the society or amount of wealth possessed, peace determines whether the person will enjoy life or not. Peace is, therefore, the determinant factor for a successful living. Receive peace in every area of your life, in Jesus’ name.

Money or power cannot buy peace; genuine peace comes from the Lord. Psalm 29:11encourages us: The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. A man whose heart is at peace will enjoy good health (Proverbs 14:30). One of the first things that happens when you surrender your life to the Lord is that you have peace. You feel as if a very heavy weight has been lifted off your heart, and experience undescribable calmness and serenity. This is one of the signs God gives you as He welcomes you into His Kingdom. Isaiah 9:7 says: …of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end….

The word of God shows how to enjoy peace as we see below.

1. Give your life to Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. Let Him take over every affair of your life.

2. Seek peace and pursue it (I Peter 3:10-11). Release everyone who offends you and always do things that will create peace around you. Avoid trouble makers and love to make issues out of trivial matters. Be a peace maker (Matthew 5:9).

3. Cultivate the habit of listening and harkening to the voice of the Spirit of the Lord. Isaiah 48:18 says: O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves. One of the acid tests to discern between the voice of God and that of the devil is peace. The voice of the Holy Spirit is often accompanied with unexplainable peace even if what is saying seems humanly hard to believe or difficult to do. Consistent obedience to the voice of God keeps one out of trouble.

4. Cultivate the habit of gratitude. It is good to desire better things but remember to be grateful for what you have now. Colossians 3:15 exhorts: Let the peace of God rule in your hearts...; and be ye thankful. An ungrateful heart cannot have peace: be thankful for who you are, what you have and what you are believing God for.

5. Stay prayerful. God guides the feet of His people into the way of peace. (Luke 1:79).

Continue to enjoy His peace that transcends human understanding, in Jesus’ name.

 

Prayer/Action

* Ask the Lord to fill your heart with His peace.

* Receive grace to be a peace seeker everywhere you are found.

* Ask that the Prince of Peace will reign in your home.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: I declare that there shall be neither bareness nor abortion of my glory, abundance and safety in this ninth month, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Pay Attention to His Correction II

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Pay Attention to His Correction II

Sunday, 15 September

 

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Proverbs 3:11-12

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Psalm 139:1-24 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 

MORE LESSON: Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

 

As we discussed yesterday, when God corrects and disciplines us as His children it is a mark of His eternal love for us. We should honour Him for this and respond positively to His love and correction. If God were to leave us without the way of correction or discipline, we would end up in self - destruction. Man always bends towards selfishness, sin and evil and the end of such a way is eternal destruction. Proverbs 14:12 warns: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. If God leaves you to go on in your own way, uncorrected and without discipline, you will surely end in the wrong destination and you will consequently partake of the judgment.

Yes, God's discipline is not pleasant; it may appear very harsh. However, it is motivated by His eternal love for you and it is for your ultimate good. Is there anything God has been dealing with you about: a sin or a sinful habit? Is it an attitude that He wants you to change, your faithfulness in paying your tithes, your diligence about the work of your hand? It could be your inconsistency at attendance of mid-week services. Could it be your dwindling service in the house of God or your unfaithfulness in evangelism, soul winning and mission? Maybe, it is your poor relationship with your spouse, attitude to your parents or failure to submit to your pastor.

Take a close look at these, and any other matter the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about. Find out what exactly God wants you to do. And whatever He says to you, do it. That is the correct response of a good child to the discipline of a loving Father. Hebrews 12:11 says: Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. It is well with you!

 

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God for His loving correction.

* Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the areas He wants you to adjust.

* Ask God to make you a better person than you have always been.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: According to the arrangements of God, nine months is the fullness of every pregnancy. Therefore, this ninth month shall be for the delivery of my 'man child', in the wonderful name of Jesus.

Pay Attention to His Correction I

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Pay Attention to His Correction I

Saturday, 14 September

 

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Hebrews 12:6-7

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Hebrews 12:1-11 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

 

MORE LESSON: Hebrews 12:6-7 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

 

When God corrects us, it is a mark of His profound love for us. His correction is to show us our sins, so we can repent, turn, and become partakers of His holiness. His correction often shows us the errors of our ways so that we may change and walk in the light. Sometimes, His correction shows us what we have failed to do so we may turn, do them and become blessed indeed. Whatever it may be, God's correction is always for your good. You should, therefore, respond as a true child of God, in faith and heart-felt true obedience.

To choose to react negatively and rebel against the correction of God is to choose the way of judgement and perdition. That was what Cain (Genesis 4:6-7), King Saul (1 Samuel 15:22), and Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:23-24) did. In each case, God corrected them but they did not take heed to His correction and they ended in disaster.

When God corrected David, he responded with a humble heart and in true repentance. God forgave him and established his kingdom (Psalm 51:1-19). When God corrected Peter, he submitted himself totally to God and he became the leader of Christ's apostolic band as recorded in John 21:15: So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

That God is correcting you does not mean you have come to the end of the road. It only means God wants you to make a positive adjustment in your life. Responding in humility, repentance and obedience is in your best interest. If you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, He will exalt you in due season (I Peter 5:6). He will make your latter days to be more glorious than the beginning. Respond to God's correction today, and it shall be well with you. Submit yourselves there fore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, as James 4:7 admonishes us.

 

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God for His eternal love for you.

* Ask God for the spirit of humility to respond appropriately to His correction.

* Ask the Lord to perfect everything that concerns you.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Oh God, my glory and the lifter up of my head, make this month a season of lifting for me and my household, in the beautiful name of Jesus.

Give Honour to Our God

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Give Honour to Our God

Friday, 13 September

 

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 

MORE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Honour God and you will qualify for unimaginable honour from Him. God's honour is to live to honour Him. In 1 Samuel 2:3 He said: honour me I will honour.

How then can you honour God?

When you believe in Jesus Christ His only Son, you honour God who sent Him to die for your salvation. Faith honours God and qualifies one for eternal honour. 1 John 3:23 says: And this is his commandment that we could believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. Living according to His word honours God.

When whatever He says to you becomes a commandment that you fulfil with joy and excitement, then you qualify for divine honour. 1John 3:22 says: Thereafter, whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments....

When you meticulously avoid the things that God hates, and you walk in righteousness and holiness before Him, doing only what is just and right in His sight, then you honour God. He knows it, and will honour you as he did concerning His servant Job. When God was speaking to Satan about Job, He was like a father whose son had just graduated from the University with first class. This was because he lived to honour God as recorded in Job 1:8: And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

When you give the best portion of your time in honouring God in worship, prayer and meditation, He will honour you in return. Matthew 6:6 instructs us: But when thou prayest ...pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

When you prioritize what is important to God like soul-winning and world mission, and you are passionately committed God, He will honour you with great results (Mark 16:19-20).

When you love the house of God, the place of His sanctuary and you are eager to build, maintain and beautify it, then you honour God and He will honour you. Psalm 26:8 says: LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house,....

You honour God when you gladly give Him your substance, pay your tithes promptly, your offerings generously and sacrifice your precious goods when God so demands, then you qualify for divine honour and abundance. Proverbs 3:9-10 admonishes us: Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,....

Beloved, these are some of the ways you can honour the Lord. May the Holy Spirit will teach and lead you on how best to do it. Make it your pursuit to always honour the Lord, and it shall be well with you.

 

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God for His word.

*Ask the Lord to circumcise your heart, that you may love and honour Him all the days of your life.

* Ask God to honour you in this world and eternally.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Today, the LORD shall increase my greatness and comfort me on every side, in the mighty name of Jesus.

 

TODAY’S FASTING FOCUS: All-round blessing; Genesis 24:1; 1 King 8:56