Silent Labourers

Silent Labourers

Tuesday, 10 December

Memory Verse: And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity. Luke 2:36

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Luke 2:36-38 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

MORE LESSON: Matthew 6:1-4 1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

It is common for workers in the vineyard of God to desire to be in positions where they can be visible to all. But the Lord actually esteems those who can humbly labour in the secret place where no one sees them. Such people obtain great rewards from God who sees in the secret and rewards in the open (Matthew 6: 1 – 4). In the Bible, Anna was an old woman who had been a widow for 84 years. Instead of complaining, she stayed in the temple day and night for all the years fasting and praying to God to send the Deliverer of Israel. Her silent labours were part of what ushered in Jesus Christ (Luke 2: 36 – 38).

Dr. Yongi Cho, the pastor of one of the largest congregations in the whole world, shared a testimony about his church in South Korea. He noticed that each time he conducted a miracle meeting, miracles would happen on a particular row, another time it would be another particular row. The rows are very long as it is a massive church but whichever row the miracle was taking place, nothing would happen on the other rows in a particular service. So he was curious and wanted to know why it was so. He asked God what the matter was and God led him to go to the church as early as 5am one morning. He saw a sister that came around and was cleaning the chairs in a particular row and praying in tongues over them. She prayed and cried till tears flowed on the seats and after she was done she left. That particular day, when the meeting started, miracles took place on the row that the woman cleaned. He then realised that it was the silent labour of that woman that was responsible for opening the Heaven for the people on that row.

Another great servant of God in Nigeria also shared the testimony of a young lady in the choir. He noticed that each time she led a song, the spiritual atmosphere became so charged with God’s presence that he could hardly preach. In fact, the people would have been praying before he came up. One day before service he was praying round the church and saw someone crying and praying at a corner in the church. He went and tapped her and discovered that it was the lady. He asked her if everything was okay and she said it was. After trying to get her talk and the lady insisted that she was fine, he left. It was later in the service that the girl climbed up to sing that he realised what happened; Heaven opened as she sang.

Whether your service is in the secret or in the open, you can be a silent labourer. The success of your ministry is dependent on the quantity of your labour in the secret place.

Prayer/Action

* Ask for grace to labour effectively in the secret place.

* Pray that your labour will not be wasted and that in due time, you shall be rewarded.

* Pray for every labourer that they will be the first partakers of the blessings and that they will not lose their rewards.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: He that sows an evil seed against me this month shall harvest it a hundred fold, in the victorious name of Jesus.

© Strength for My Days by Bishop David Bakare - All Rights Reserved

Leaders and Followers

Leaders and Followers

Monday, 9 December

Memory Verse: Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way. I Samuel 12:23

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: 1 Samuel 12:19-23 19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. 23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

MORE LESSON: John 21:1-17 1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. 2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. 6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. 9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. 11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. 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. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Beloved, the exemplary leadership skill of Samuel when the Israelites asked for a king is striking. Although God and Samuel were greatly displeased with the request of Israel for a king, Samuel the leader restrained his anger and continued to plead before God for the people. In asking for a king, the people had rejected Samuel's children (who should take over from him) because of their sinful lives, and by implication, Samuel. They said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations: 1 Samuel 8:5. Yet Samuel said, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you…: 1 Samuel 12:23. That is exemplary leadership.

When the followership misbehave or are ignorant, leadership should continue to do what Samuel did: (1) He continued to pray for them. (2) He vowed to continue to teach them the good and the right way. This takes a lot of grace and maturity but with prayers for our leaders, God will help everyone occupying any leadership position, beginning from the home to the church and the society, to follow this example. Today's leaders at all levels must learn never to give up on their followers, just like Samuel. Jesus our perfect example did the same. After all He did to build the disciples, as soon as He died, Peter led six of them back to the river side from where Jesus had taken them, thus going back to their old vomit (John 21:3). But thank God for Jesus' love; as soon as He resurrected, He went to the river side to bring them back. When He found them, He still called them children, not bastards or backsliders.

As leaders, seek the lost even when they take wrong positions. Followers also should not make the work of their leaders difficult and must endeavour to understand the pressure that leaders go through.

One thing that breaks my heart each time I read the story of Samuel is his sons. Samuel's unparallel leadership quality over Israel was not reflected in his home. Even when the people told him to his face that his children were not like him, there was no report of his reaction to it.

The worst of it is that Samuel was a replacement of Elis’ sons, it was Samuel that God used to prophesy against Eli about his sons’ ungodly acts now he saw himself in the same trouble. All leaders should know that their home matters. Leadership should begin at home, even if you are not a leader today, yet you should build your children to be godly, we are leaders someday.

Prayer/Action

* Ask God for the grace to be an effective leader.

* Pray for wisdom in how to go on with your day-to-day assignment as a leader.

* Pray for the heart of a shepherd to always be caring, loving and to always be a motivation to your followers.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Fresh wind of glory, blow upon me this month and make all things new, in the powerful name of Jesus.

© Strength for My Days by Bishop David Bakare - All Rights Reserved

Evangelism Beyond Words

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

Evangelism Beyond Words

Sunday, 8 December

Memory Verse: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Matthew 5:13-16 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

MORE LESSON: Acts 4:13 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

A man’s blessing is only complete when you take out of what God has blessed you with and use it to bless someone else. The blessing on Abraham is: “I bless you, you also be a blessing to others.” A flowing river is ever fresh and new unlike the stagnate water full of dirt. To be a flowing river shows it is giving out and the more it is giving out the more it is being replenished. If you live a stagnate Christian life you are not likely to be an healthy Christian. You would have consumed more than you need and you can become a junk but if you become an agent of turnaround, you are a blessing and you are blessed. The way to get the full blessings of Abraham is not in accumulation of what we have but sharing with others.

Christianity is not just waiting for your own turnaround but also looking forward to how God will use you to affect people positively. It is getting more and more difficult to go on evangelism due to situations surrounding us but we can still make impact by practical Christian living. Let’s take Christianity to the market place by the impact we make on people’s lives; we can be shut from preaching in the public but our Christian life can preach more than what we can say. In II Kings 5:4, on the strength of the information Naaman got, he followed the little maid’s counsel and received his healing. Had the girl been living a reckless life, I am sure the general would not have followed her instructions.

Another character to consider in this story is the King of Syria who after hearing of the coming of Naaman tore his clothes. 2 King 5:7 says: As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me. The king knew the God of Israel but he could not represent Him. Meanwhile, Elisha also heard the news but rather than fret, he advertised his God appropriately. We are meant to be the advertisers of our God. You don’t need anointing to be an agent of turnaround: you can be an agent by good acts.

All the life of Jesus, He was an agent of turnaround. Jesus spent His life touching the lives of others. Acts 10:38 says: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good,…. The questions for you today are: How many lives are you affecting positively? How many people can bless God because of the impact you have made in their lives? Be the reason why tears are wiped away not the reason for someone’s sadness and tears. Advertise Jesus.

Prayer/Action

* Pray for grace to do good works.

* Ask God for grace to be faithful to this divine assignment.

* Pray for grace to represent God effectively and efficiently in all areas of life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Father, separate the act of disobedience by Jonah and the disrespectful behaviour of lot from the activities of my new month, in the mighty name of Jesus.

© Strength for My Days by Bishop David Bakare - All Rights Reserved

Becoming Mighty Indeed

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

Becoming Mighty Indeed

Saturday, 7 December

Memory Verse: Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. Psalm 144:1

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: II Samuel 23:1-18 1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. 6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place. 8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. 13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

MORE LESSON: II Samuel 23:19-29 19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

The Bible makes it clear that David was mighty in words and in deeds (Acts 7:22). Gideon was a mighty man of valour (Judges 6:12), and Boaz was a mighty man of wealth (Ruth 2:1). The Lord our God Himself is mighty in battle (Psalm 24:8). It is recorded that Jesus did so many mighty works when He was on earth (Mark 6:2).

Similarly, God wants to make you mighty in life; He wants to make you truly great. Genesis 26:13-14 testified of Isaac: ...Isaac sowed in that land and received in the same year a hundred-fold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks and possession of herds and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. Isaac grew great, went forward, and became mighty; that shall be your testimony, in Jesus name.

You can see from the life of Isaac that becoming mighty is a process so prepare your mind to go through the process. If you are willing and obedient, God will make you mighty in the land. The following are some hints on what it takes to be mighty.

(1) Focus: discover your purpose in life, your calling, your vision, and what your passion is. Develop yourself along that line, focusing on and following the leading of the Lord step by step and you will soon be reckoned with among the great.

(2) Training: our text today shows that David was taught, trained and nurtured by God. Get into real training for your life assignment and needs. Invest the needed time, money, and patience. Train to become mighty.

(3) Preparation: Jotham became mighty because he prepared his way before the Lord His God (II Chronicles 27:6). It is said that proper preparation prevents poor performance. Whatever you want to do or to be, take your time to diligently prepare, and you will surely finish right on top.

(4) Practice: becoming mighty certainly starts with thinking but it does not end there. You must put legs to your thoughts; act on your vision. Practise what you have learnt and put into effect what you trained for. Execute the plan you have prepared, and you will make it great.

(5) Consistency: it is moving steadily towards your goal. Doing what you have to do when you feel like it and when you don't. There is power in consistency; it makes the difference between the great and the mediocre. Put all these into practice and God will give you the desires of your heart.

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God because He wants you to be mighty.

* Ask that the spirit of wisdom and diligence will move you to become mighty indeed.

* Ask the Lord to send destiny helpers to you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: I receive access into this new month by the blood of the Lamb, in Jesus' powerful name.

© Strength for My Days by Bishop David Bakare - All Rights Reserved