Carry the Cross

Wednesday 2 September
READ: Matt 16: 24 - 25
MORE LESSON: Heb 12: 1 - 3

Jesus said that anyone who will follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross and follow. The Christian life is a life of the cross so we need to clearly understand what the cross is and what it means to carry one's cross in total surrender to Christ. The first thing I want you to know about the cross is that the cross is a place of pain. Bible said that Jesus endured the cross (Heb 12: 2). The cross is not a place of enjoyment; it is a place of willful acceptance of pain. Jesus was crying in agony on the cross but He was not ready to escape from the pain because He saw the glory it will bring to God. He was crying and agonizing, yet He was not looking for relieve but was ready to stay with the pain if the glory of God would be made manifest by it.

This means that the cross cannot be an Adamic nature or sinful habit that you have refused to give up and then you claim that is your own cross. No, the cross Jesus carried was not a sinful habit that He kept falling into. Your cross also cannot be a sickness that you are carrying about and you have not received healing; the intent of the cross is to glorify God. Your being sick doesn't glorify God in any way. Furthermore, your cross is definitely not a wrong decision you made and are suffering for it. You should avoid the consequences of wrong decisions by making sure the word of God governs every step you take. Don't break God's principles and when the repercussion comes, you look sober and say you are carrying your cross. That is not what the cross is.

Carrying the cross is not being controlled by sinful habits, afflicted by sickness and it is obviously not wearing a big cross on your neck and strolling around claiming to be carrying a cross. Carrying your cross means willfully subjecting yourself to an unpleasant experience which you could have avoided but, for the sake of heaven, you embraced. It is when you say Lord I know I could have chosen this other easier way, but this painful way is the one that will glorify you. So I lay my neck on the altar even at the point of death.

When you willingly subject yourself to situations that are not convenient because you want God to be honoured and glorified, you have embraced the cross and there is a glory awaiting you. Jesus endured the cross and now He is seated in glory. Now that you have understood what carrying your cross is, it is time to carry your cross and follow Him.

Prayer/Action
* Like Jesus, receive grace for the cross you have to carry.
* Proclaim that you will not endure a cross without the glory manifesting.
* Rebuke every evil hanging on you in the name of bearing your cross.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
God of Israel, You led Your people for forty years by the pillars of cloud and fire, do the same for the rest of my year, in Jesus’ name.

Choose Eternal Glory

Tuesday 1 September
READ: Luke 16: 19 - 31
MORE LESSON: Matt. 6:33

There are different types of glory as expressed in 1 Cor. 15: 40 – 41; There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is the earthly and the eternal glory. There is a major interrelationship between the earthly and eternal glory that you must never forget.

Eternal glory can bring earthly/physical glory but earthly/physical glory cannot bring eternal glory. You may have wealth and glory here on earth and do not have eternal glory. However, spiritual glory can bring earthly glory which will last forever. This is amply captured in Matt. 6:33, which says, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. This means that when you have spiritual life which is the eternal glory, every other thing will be added. When you carry the grace of God, that is, you are born again and doing the things of God, every other physical thing can be added to you. However, if you are not born again even if you are a church goer or church worker, whatever you have physically cannot qualify you for everlasting life. The fact that you are born again gives you access to glory even on the face of the earth. But if you have everything beautiful on the face of the earth it does not guarantee you access into eternal glory.

If you are wise therefore, what should be your choice? There is one that can attract the other, and there is the other one which cannot attract the first. There is one which is permanent and the other which is temporal. Which should you aim for? Go for eternal glory because it will deliver to you earthly glory. There are many who are not interested in the things of God; they are so cumbered with worldly pursuits, great ambitions and quest for fame. If those are your life pursuits, I warn you that you will fall prey to the hand of the devil because he can afford all these things for you. But if your pursuit is God and His kingdom, then you have eternal glory and even in this earth you will live a glorious life.

The rich man in the story in Luke 16: 19, had glory while on earth, but because he didn't choose to get eternal glory, he found himself in hell where he was begging for water not even to quench the fire but for a drop to assuage his thirst. That tells you what happens to a man who chooses earthly glory over eternal glory. The Bible describes hell as a place where worms eating up men do not die. The greatest pain in hell is not the fire but the thirst and regret. Heaven, on the other hand, is a place of eternal glory; choose correctly.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will never substitute holy glory for earthly glory.
* Pray that as you choose eternal glory, other things shall be added according to scriptures.
* Pray that no earthly thing will take eternal glory from you. 
* Ask that no earthly pressure will stuff eternity from you.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Thank You ancient of days for a new month; make this ninth month a mighty month for me, in the name of Jesus’.

Generational Praise II

Monday 31 August
READ: 2 Sam 7: 1 - 16
MORE LESSON: Psa 89: 1

You can give God a praise that will last through all generations. In yesterday’s reading, we saw how David decided that he wanted to give God a praise that would last all generations and he did it by making his praise into songs that will be sung forever. But he didn't stop at that; he decided to build a temple for God. As many as praised God in that temple through all generations would be helping David to give God praise. Even though God didn't permit David to build the temple, he made all the resources needed available and commanded his son Solomon to build it. It was Solomon that eventually built the temple. Innumerable people in different generations praised God in the sanctuary built by one man: that is generational praise. One way you can give God praise that will last through generations is by sowing a seed that will last beyond you.

I heard a saying in the university that if you want to plan for a year, plant corn; if you want to plan for a decade, plant a tree but if you want to plan for a life time, train a child. In the same way, each time you want to give God thanks, plan for generations. Look around and ask, ‘What can I do for someone or in the house of God that will last even when I'm gone.' Do something that many people will benefit from and praise God long after you have gone. You can pick an orphan to sponsor in school, you can build a church for God like David did. If you can't afford that, there is something you can afford for God – a block, a bag of cement or a window. It is not how big it is that matters, it is the heart that loves to give a generational praise that God commends.

Someone wanted to give God praise at my consecration as a Bishop and bought a rug to decorate God's altar. Others after that day would dance and roll on the rug to praise God. They benefit from the praise the first person gave. However they too should not stop at dancing and rolling. They should do something that will stand as a generational praise before God. Dancing to God is good but when you dance and roll, people around you have not benefitted, not to talk of many generations to come. So dance all you can but go beyond it, do something that generations will benefit from. That is what is called generational praise.

Today give God generational praise by planting a memorial that will last beyond you and many generations after you will benefit from.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for a life of positive influence beyond your generation.
* Ask God to empower you to do memorable things in life.
* Promise God you will no longer live for yourself alone but that you will be a blessing as you have been blessed.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Helper of Israel, Your strength will not fail in my matter forever, in the name of Jesus.

Generational Praise I

Sunday 30 August
READ: Psa. 89:1
MORE LESSON: Psa. 149: 1

Every man lives in only one generation, but the Psalmist says in Ps 89: 1 that he would give God thanks that will last through all generations. How does a man give God generational praise? Generational praise is the praise you give God that lives beyond you. It is a 'thank you' that has a beginning but no end. David knew he wouldn't live forever but he said he would give God thanks that will last forever. It is important that we discover how he intended to achieve this so that we can follow his example. The first thing David did to ensure his praise to God lasted beyond his generation was to write the praise down. In fact, he captured them in songs to be sung forever. As long as those songs are sung, David still praises his God. If you want to show gratitude to God that will last beyond you, express your heart felt praise to Him in songs; write the songs and sing them to others. You don't have to worry about the melody, just express your worship to God by letting a song rise in your spirit, write the song down, teach somebody and also sing it in the congregation of the saints (Psa. 149: 1).

Many times God gives us songs in the place of prayer, these are spiritual songs that no man knew before. We sing these songs in prayer, enjoy them and then forget them. However, every song the Lord gives you is a gift that is meant to be passed on to others. The experience and revelation in the song might be what somebody needs for the situation he is going through. So let someone be blessed by that song and sing it too, by so doing you would give generational praise to God. When you are not there or when you are gone, people will praise God from the experience of your praise.

Every powerful song that we sing today came as an inspiration from somebody's experience. When God gave them the experience, they wrote them down, captured them in song and passed it to people. This is how the hymns we sing today came to be. There is power in worshipping God in your secret place with new songs. Many believers don't have songs for the Lord when they pray; they come to God and start talking and reciting their requests like a cassette player. You see them sweating after prayer but they never feel refreshed because they didn't enjoy Him in worship.

Prayer is not only about presenting needs to God like a news presenter. God wants to talk back to you, He wants to give you songs and hear you sing to Him. He wants to enjoy your prayer time as well. You give Him this opportunity when you sing to Him and you make His praise generational when you bless others with the song He gives you. This is one way of giving God generational praise. However, a life of impact, righteousness, sacrifice and service to God and humanity are also some other ways of generational praise.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to make the life you live a generational praise.
* Ask God for an encounter with Him in the place of prayer.
* Tell God you want to be a tool of generational praise.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
In the name of Jesus, every enemy operating behind a mask in my destiny, be exposed.