You are God's Best

Text: Psa. 139:13-18
MORE LESSONS: Eccl. 3:14
Bible Reading in one Year: Galatians 4-6

Every man is created in God's image and therefore special to Him. God has a purpose in mind for every single person He creates. Parents may think they make a mistake in giving birth to a particular child but the Almighty God doesn't make mistakes. You are God's masterpiece and are beautifully, wonderfully and purposefully made.

This fact should make everyone to appreciate himself/herself and be confident. Inferiority complex is a psychological condition whereby a person always belittles himself and feels inadequate in comparison to others. The person does not feel good enough and thus is over sensitive to other people's words, actions and gestures. It mostly has its roots in the hurts, negative words and abuses a child suffers in childhood and manifests into adulthood if not addressed on time. This is the reason no child should be put down, insulted or abused.

Inferiority complex could also be due to limitations in the form of physical appearance, social and financial status, non achievement, cultural differences, emotional responses, lack of certain skills and ability .. . . Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him: Acts 10:34-35. All the things that men look at to judge one as superior to another don't count with God. All that fear God and work righteousness are acceptable to Him. You are acceptable to God as long as you have given your life to Jesus Christ; He is your Father and He loves you so dearly. Your basis of self-worth is the fact that God accepts you as you are.

Do not try to be like someone else for then you neglect your purpose thinking that you are inferior to another man. A child of God who is a carpenter is not inferior to another who is a medical doctor.

The carpenter should trust God to be the best and most successful in his work as the medical doctor also presses on to be the best in his field so that Jesus is glorified in both. The man on the pulpit is not superior to the usher standing and maintaining order in the service; each should give God his best, For I say, ... to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another: Rom 12:3-5. Whatever is your status or work; I want you to know that you are God's best and are specially made for your unique purpose by Him.

Prayer/Action
* Take a worship position and say to God, “Thank You for me”.
* Thank God for His purpose in you and for you.
* Ask Him to help you fulfil His purpose for your life from now on.

Word of Knowledge

Text: I Cor . 12:8
MORE LESSONS:1Cor 13: 8-13
Bible Reading in one Year: Galatians 1-3

I was preaching to a young man one day unknown to me that he was a very difficult person to preach to. Several people had preached to him and he always gave them a hard time. That day he sat, waiting for me to finish so that he could start on me as he always did to people who preached to him. Unfortunately for him, as I began to preach it was like I was reading a script of his past life to him. When I finished, he said, Who sent you to me? He actually thought that somebody reported him to me and that was why I came to preach to him. The word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation of a particular knowledge to you that you could not have known by yourself. This gift should be desired by believers as the Scripture makes us know that we can desire spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12: 31).

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are manifestations given to a man as God wills and not as man chooses (1 Cor. 12: 11). This gift can be manifested through you by the Holy Spirit even in everyday life. The same Lord who gives a word to a minister about someone in the congregation that He wants to touch can give a word to parents about their children so that they can know some things that He wants them to know. The same Lord who speaks words of knowledge through you as you go out to witness Christ to people can also give a word to you about a business decision or business partner. As you stay closer to God in prayer, He will endow you with this gift and He will give you privilege information supernaturally about your spiritual life, family, business, academics and profession.

This is your portion in Jesus. When God gives you a word of knowledge, it must be handled in wisdom and maturity. It is not given so that you go and confront people or start exposing things about people. The gifts of the Spirit are given for you to edify, comfort and help others and not to destroy, pull down, embarrass or intimidate them. For this to be achieved, the gift must be operated in love and maturity. If you receive a word and you do not know how to go about it you should discuss the message you receive with your pastor first. I pray that God will impart you with the gift of the word of knowledge, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Give thanks to God for the provision of such a gift as the Word of knowledge and for the great things He has accomplished among His people by such grace.
* Ask God to endow you with this gift for life and service.
* Ask God to send you a Word today for a total turn around in your life and destiny.

Helped by His Presence

READ: Psa 97: 5-10
MORE LESSONS: Exo 3: 11-18
Bible Reading in one Year: James 3-5

Jesus did not experience failure at moment during His life on earth and He wants us also to live a life that is free of failure. This can only be achieved when you have all-round strength. The extent of your strength determines the results seen in your life, either physically or spiritually. However, strength comes not only from within but also from above.

One of the secrets of strength from above is the presence of God with a man, The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth: Psa. 97:5. The earth cannot stand the presence of God and there is no mountain that can stand the presence of God. When you have God with you there is no mountain that can stand in your presence, Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob: Psa. 114:7.

The secret of the strength of the people of old was God’s nearness by which they shook the world in their generations. It was the presence of God with Moses that made him become a god to Pharaoh even though he was a stammerer. God who called him stood by him and he became unstoppable. God was also with Joshua. God helped him and because God was with him, even the sun stood still for him until he finished the assignment that God gave him, There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 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: Josh 1:5-6. So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country: Josh 6:27.

David enjoyed the presence of God. Even Saul got to a point when he had to confess that the presence of God was with David. That was after he had done all he could to kill David but didn't succeed. On one occasion Saul encamped around David and there was no way David could escape but Saul received news which made him leave and that was how God delivered David from the hand of Saul. David fought many battles but he prevailed in all. Only the presence of God with a man can make him untouchable to his enemies (I Sam. 23: 23- 29). God's presence is with you, and no situation will be able to stand against you, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for the power of His presence.
* Ask God to help you stay away from anything that can take His presence from your life.
* Ask God for the power of His presence all through your lifetime.
* Pray that the power that makes mountains melt like wax will fall upon you today.
Take a fast and use today's prayer.

The Spirit of the Word

Text: II Cor . 3:5-6
MORE LESSONS: James 1: 18-27
Bible Reading in one Year: James 1-2

As we learn about the things of God through various means such as preaching the Word, fellowshipping with believers, studying the Bible and other anointed books and devotionals, the most important element that Jehovah uses to evaluate us is the transformation that occurs in our lives. The intention of God is the impartation of His life into us through His Word; so no matter how much knowledge of the things of God we accumulate, if it doesn't translate into our transformation to a more Christ-like life and attitude, we are not growing spiritually.

The Word of God is not to be approached with the analytical and critical mind and it is not to be treated like an academic treatise. Rather, with humility, we are to absorb the reality, grace and life in the Word and become more like Christ. A man can delve into the Word of God and become more and more religious but not more spiritual. Religion has to do with a set of rules of do’s and don't’s which does not necessarily give one the power to do or not to do. When men dwell on the letters of the Word, they become very religious and have quotations and knowledge in their head but which they have not experienced.

However, when you allow the life of the Word to change you so that you live and practise the Word, you become truly spiritual. We are to approach the Word of God as students and not as scholars. Scholars are experts that are so knowledgeable in a field that they can critique and analyse any topic. On the other hand, a student approaches each topic with a heart to learn. One difference between the attitude and the student attitude to the Word is humility and being teachable. James enjoins, So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener , God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life: James 1:21 (The Message).

Throw away all the confusing and complex garbage that men analyse out of Scriptures and, in humility and simplicity, receive, believe and practise the Word of God so that your soul will remain saved.

You have the Spirit of the Word when you practise the Word; you have the letters of the Word when you read it, write it, preach it and write volumes on it but never practise it. Go for the Spirit and not the letter of the Word because the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life: 2 Cor 3:6 ( NKJV) Don’t just be a hearer or talker of the Word, be a doer of the Word.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to grant you the revelation knowledge of His Word.
* Pray that you will begin to understand God’s Word beyond the letters.
* Pray that God’s Word will not stop impacting your life.
*Ask that you will never resist the Word of God in your life.