The Shining Light

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SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Matthew 5:14-16 

14Ye 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: John 5:35-37

35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

Saturday, 11 October

Memory Verse: Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

The moment we gave our lives to Christ, we were translated from darkness to light and so we've got the light of God in us. We can therefore arise and shine because our light has truly come. Wherever we show up light is expected to shine there. Just like the physical light is celebrated by men, so should men see a reason to celebrate our lives because of the impact we make wherever we go. As Jesus who was anointed with the Holy Ghost and power went about doing good while on earth, believers in Christ ought to go everywhere doing good and exuding the very life of Christ.

We live in a time and season characterised by 'darkness covering the earth and gross darkness the people' as prophesied in Isaiah 60:2, but there is hope in that the believer can arise and shine. The sin and sinfulness of this generation should not make us appear helpless in the face of daunting challenges. Rather, it should provide the impetus needed for us to be exemplary with our way and manner of life. The light is said to shine in darkness such that darkness cannot comprehend it (John 1:5).

Interestingly, our text does not only call us to shine, but to shine with intensity. Matthew 5:16 says, Let your light so shine that men will see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. The phrase 'so shine' needs our particular attention. Do not let your shining be mild or else your influence will be minimal. Trust the Holy Spirit to work in your life to the intent that the intensity of your shining will be effectual and far reaching. May God help us to so shine our light before men and by so doing draw them to Christ.

The Scripture says no man lights a candle and puts it under a bushel. The implication and application of this is that our Christianity must not be hidden to the world. We can't hide our identity neither should we be in obscurity. Christianity should not be practised in a way that it is not visible to those who should be attracted to it. Men are supposed to see our Christianity as manifested in our conduct and good works so that they can glorify the Father with their lives.

Prayer/Action

* Pray that you will keep burning and shining all the days of your life.

* Declare that darkness shall not comprehend your light.

* Pray that the Lord will help you to attract men to Him by your lifestyle.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: My destiny is moving today from obscurity to limelight in an unstoppable way, hallelujah, in Jesus' name.

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

There is hope

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SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Job 14:7-9

7 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.

MORE LESSON: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Friday, 10 October

Memory Verse: If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Job 14:14

TODAY’S FASTING FOCUS: Satan is permanently defeated; Genesis 3:15; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 15:57

We live in a world where things can get so bad sometimes; and when that happens, there exists a high tendency to lose hope. The truth however is that even in the most hopeless situation there is still hope in God. The situation with David got so bad one day that the enemies concluded that there was no help for him in God (Psalm 3:2). It is a lie of the devil and a wrong conclusion to say there is no help or hope for a man in God. Believing this lie is suicidal.

Job 14:7 says there is hope for a tree that is cut down. It is certainly not a good testimony for a man to be cut down, but if that happens, it may not be the end of the story. The story of Job is well known; he was down when the devil sought occasion against him and attacked him from every angle by God's permission, but the end of the most righteous man (Job) in his time became most glorious.

Our Bible passage recognises the 'scent of water' as what is needed for a tree that is cut down to sprout again. In spiritual context water symbolises two things - the Word and the Spirit. Ephesians 5:26 talks about cleansing the Church of Jesus with the washing of water by the word and John 7:38 -39 mentions the Holy Spirit as 'rivers of living water that flows out of the believer's belly'. It means that the hope of a tree which is cut down can revive with the activity of the Word and Spirit of the Lord.

For us believers we know that even if death is the matter of hopelessness, there is resurrection. The word of God encourages believers not to mourn as those that have no hope (1Thessalonians 4:13). The question from our memory verse is, If a man dies, shall he live again? The answer is yes, through Christ Jesus he shall live again. It is comforting to know that there is hope of eternal life beyond the struggles of life and that we will reunite with loved ones who have gone ahead on the resurrection morning.

Prayer/Action

* Declare, I have hope, and I have a future in Christ.

* Declare that the hope of eternal life is alive in you and the hope remains alive until You see Jesus.

* Thank God for the hope you have in Christ Jesus

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: I decree that Satan is defeated permanently in my life and destiny this new month, in the mighty name of Jesus.

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

The Sure Word

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SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Isaiah 55:8-13

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 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: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

MORE LESSON: Deuteronomy 32:47

47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Thursday, 9 October

Memory Verse: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

As surely as the rain has impact on the earth, so surely is the word of God powerful. The rain does not come to the earth for nothing and so also does the sent word of the Lord meets its target. Going through the creation story in Genesis chapter one, we see how powerful God's word is when it brought everything into existence. For every 'Let there be' there was a corresponding 'and there was'. The Word that was active at creation was also active at our recreation in Christ, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” 1 Peter 1:23.

It is a clear message that each time God sends His word, it is for the purpose of accomplishment. When the word of God reaches its targeted audience, it prospers in its assignment. The wisdom for us as children of God is to gladly receive the word of God. This is akin to the word falling on good ground (as in Matthew 13:8). There is a baptism of power that accompanies those who gladly receive the word. Acts 2:41 says, Then they that gladly received his word were baptized…. If we can gladly receive the word of God we will be baptised with its power.

There is always a commitment on the Lord's part to perform His word and as such we ought also to be committed to keeping His word. The undoing of Saul was that he rejected the word of God, as such the Almighty reciprocated by rejecting him from being king (1 Samuel 15:23). It was a dishonour for the first king of Israel to be dethroned and another anointed to take his place, but this was consequent upon how he handled the word of God. Our staff of office as kings on the earth is giving the word of God its rightful place.

With the understanding of how potent the word of life as contained in the Scripture is, Solomon wrote to his son, My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20 – 22. The word of God that we receive and keep is our life.

Prayer/Action

* Pray that the word of God will continue to be your source of joy and rejoicing.

* Receive grace to constantly honour God's command.

* Pray that the word of God will continue to keep you from sin.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: By the power of the endless grace of God upon my life, there shall be nothing failing any more in my life and work, in Jesus' mighty name.

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

It is a Race

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SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Hebrews 12:1-6

1 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.

MORE LESSON: 1 Timothy 6:12

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Wednesday, 8 October

Memory Verse: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Matthew 24:13

Apart from the fact that the Christian faith is a journey, it is also a race that comes with a prize. The Bible says the race is set before us, meaning we cannot evade it. It is a race that is heavenly in nature and despite the many distractions that exist believers can look up to Jesus for triumph. This race is not a sprint where the fastest runner wins; rather it is a marathon that requires endurance. We see Jesus our Master and perfect example enduring the Cross and thereby showing us the way to go.

 Some quick lessons can be gleaned when we read Hebrews 12:1 in NLT, Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us (NLT). Clearly, there are things that slow us down and there are those that hold us back in this race. The wisdom is to do away with all such things. Sometimes the things that slow us down are not outright sins, but weights (weaknesses) such as too much sleep, too much talk, too much food etc.

Sin is not a friend and as such must be jettisoned by heavenly minded people. We may not come out with a list of sins here, but we know that anything contrary to the commandment of God is sin. In striving to keep the word of God we are kept from sin by the same Word. To enhance his heavenly race the psalmist said, Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11. We can take a cue from the above and make the word of the Almighty the cornerstone of our lives. As for Jesus, His staying power in His race while on earth was, He loved righteousness and hated wickedness Hebrews 1:9.

As we look up to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, the believer's life should be characterised by a love for righteousness and a hatred for wickedness.

Prayer/Action

* Ask for the strength to run the heavenly race today.

* Declare, Satan, the Lord rebuke you over my heavenly race, in the mighty name of Jesus.

* Pray that by God's grace, you will endure to the end in this race.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Goodness and mercy shall follow me daily this month and I shall excel in the things of God, in the excellent name of Jesus.

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