YOU ARE NO MORE CALLED SERVANTS

“… Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” - John 15:13-15

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: You are no longer a servant; you are a son of God.

As a born again Christian, you are no longer a servant. It is an error or an act of ignorance to answer to being called a servant of God. You are a joint-heir with Christ. You are literally born of God, with His life in your spirit. This makes you one with God. Romans 8:16-17 (AMP) says, “The Spirit Himself (thus) testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. And if we are His children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing his inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory”. You are no longer a servant; you are a son of God. Jesus Christ did not just come to die to save you from sin. That was a means to an end. He came to give you life, so that with that life in you, you could be in fellowship with God. He came to bring you into union with God. This is what His vicarious death accomplished for you. He brought you into the fellowship of the God-kind.

In John 5:26, the Bible says, “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself”. This life is in His Son and he that has the Son has this life (John 5:11-12). The same inherent life that Jesus has is what He gave to you at New Birth. You are therefore not expected to live below God’s standards. You can’t know this as a Christian and live a life of defeat. You are a special and peculiar breed; a carrier of the God-life and dispenser of His unsearchable riches and grace. Ephesians 2:10 (AMP) says, “For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

INSTRUCTION: Get to know who you are.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for making me your son and a dispenser of your riches and grace, in Jesus Name.

QUOTE: Receiving Christ is a change of status from a servant to a son

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 16; EVENING: ECCL. CHAPTER 1

GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” - 2 Peter 1:2.

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: Until Christ is revealed to you, you remain in crises as a blind man.

In the Old Testament, there are three different types of burnt offerings to God. It is assumed that the rich brought offerings of young bulls (Leviticus 1:3), the middle class or the ‘not-so rich’ brought Sheep (Leviticus 1:10), and the low class or the poor brought turtledoves (Leviticus 1:14). Though it had different sizes and values, the different burnt offerings were all accepted as sweet aroma to the Lord (Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17). These burnt offerings speak of Jesus and His perfect work at the Cross. To bring a rich offering today means that you have a big revelation of Jesus and His finished work. To bring a not-so-rich offerings means that you have a smaller revelation of Jesus and His finished work at the cross. Whatever the size of the revelation you have about Jesus, however, God still accepts you just the same way because Jesus is the only measure of your acceptance before God. Meanwhile, God wants you to grow in your revelation of Jesus because your well-being hinges on it.

Before that First Passover Night, all the children of Israel had received the same Word of God: “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13). But I believe that some households lived through that night trembling in fear as they heard the loud cries outside their homes, while other households rested in God’s Word; ate their Passover lamb and spent the night rejoicing in His protection, deliverance and love for them. But you see, as long as the households came under the blood, they were all saved, trembling or not. When they lacked the revelation of the power of the blood to save them from their destroyer, fear came in even though the blood availed for them. In the same vein, God doesn’t want you to struggle through trying times with fear, apprehension and stress. He wants you to enjoy and rest in a greater revelation of Jesus as your deliverer and salvation. In today’s text, God wants you to experience a multiplied grace and peace in your life. How? The text continues “…in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” The more knowledge of Jesus you have the more of His grace and peace you enjoy. The knowledge of God and the revelation about Jesus Christ you have, determines the level of trust you have in Him. Without doubt, trust in Jesus Christ.

INSTRUCTION:  Have a big revelation of Jesus

PRAYER: Lord, my confidence is in you; rise up and help me, in Jesus name.

QUOTE: The level of your revelation about Jesus determines the level of peace you enjoy!

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING; HAGGAI CHAPTER 3; EVENING: 1 CHRONICLES CHAPTER

THE FORCE OF FAITH (2)

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith which we preach” Romans 10:8.

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: When you speak faith into that situation, it can never remain the same.

The Word of God is the bedrock for the force of faith. Words are containers of spiritual forces. When you release positive words, situations change for the better. Anytime you want to enter a new level, words are needed to push you there. When you speak faith into any situation, that situation can never remain the same. The way you react to God’s Word matters a lot. If you must overcome the challenges of life, you must learn to always respond in faith to God’s word. You must learn to function in the arena of faith where the only thing that matters is the Word of God. No matter the storms of life, you must always speak positive words for when men say there is a casting down, you shall say there is a lifting up (Job 22:29). As a believer, you must consciously speak life into any situation you find yourself for the words we speak are spirit and they are life. Never allow your physical senses (what you see, feel, or hear) determine the circumstances of your existence.  The Bible speaking in 2 Corinthians 4:8 says, “While we look not at things that are seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”.

You cannot take anything in the realm of the spirit without your faith. Faith is a word. Prayer is not lamentations neither is it complaining. Prayer is taking God’s word back to God. Thus, faith is the Word of God. You can overcome the battles of life only through faith. Therefore, you must hold fast to your faith. Ephesians 6:16 says, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked”. Faith shields you from all evil enchantments. Having believed and had faith in Jesus, you become God by nature. Through your faith in Jesus Christ, you are a son of God. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name…” when you believe right, you speak right and achieve the right results. Never allow the circumstances of life make you confess negatively for your words are the compass of your life. 

INSTRUCTION: Speak positively

PRAYER: Lord, help me speak positively to get my right result, in Jesus name!

QUOTE: Whatever you is what you will see.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: ZACHARIAH CHAPTER 7; EVENING: 1 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 21

THE FORCE OF FAITH (1)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith” Romans 1:16-17.

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: Faith controls all the activities of God.

Faith for miracles is different from faith for salvation. If your life is without, you can use faith to create whatever you need. At new birth, your sins were forgiven and God’s nature was deposited in you. The death of Christ forgives your sins and restores your relationship with God. Faith is one of the strongest weapons that every believer should have. Nothing can say to faith (Mark 11:22-23). Faith controls all the activities of God. Faith is not a philosophy, but it is the spiritual power God uses to produce anything. Faith reveals God, proves God and announces God. The law of faith controls the physical and the spiritual. Faith is the spiritual currency you use to purchase in the realms of the spirit. Your life will remain helpless until faith is engaged (Mark 9:23). Matters that concern destinies are not solved by emotional tears but by actions. God will only act when you react.

Faith is a force and power that keeps all matters in place. The quality of your life is the quality of faith you have. Nothing fails in faith. When you faith is up, you cannot be down in life. The fight of faith is the fight of victory. The fight of faith will always bring a good report in life. It guarantees your inheritance. You cannot possess what is yours without a fight. When you want to take what is yours and the devil tries to stop you, you engage the fight of faith by your declarations. Your words are the compass of your life. Every word is a product of your thought. Your words create your future and your thoughts design the future. Faith is like a stubborn bull dog that does not leave a bone the same way he met it until he crushes it and reduces it to nothing. There is no other way to fight in life than to fight the good fight of faith. Many confess faith but only a few contend with it. You must move from merely confessing faith to actually putting your faith into use. It is the faith you put into use that gives you results to terminate your insults. When a man walks in faith, no other force on earth can stop him.

INSTRUCTION: Fight the good fight of faith till the end

PRAYER: Lord, I declare that my faith shall not fail, in Jesus name!

QUOTE: Faith is now; it doesn’t postpone miracles.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: ZACHARIAH CHAPTER 6; EVENING: 1 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 20

UNDERSTANDING SALVATION (2)

“Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow”  1 Peter 1:10-11.

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross qualifies you to live the good life.  

After the suffering of Christ, a life of glory ensued. You don’t need to pay any additional price to attain this life. Christ Jesus had already paid for you to enjoy this beautiful life. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross qualifies you to live the good life and be all that God wants you to be. The sacrifice of Jesus was enough. Due to that sacrifice, you have become one with God; you are now a partaker of His life and righteousness. What God expects from you now is for you to enjoy your life and live to the best of His glory. Being born again is not a call to punishment. It is a call to the good, higher life. On the Cross, before His death, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). He announced the end of suffering to all mankind. Anyone who believes in Him and accepts His vicarious death on the cross is automatically ushered into this life of glory. Yes, Christ suffered for us. But that suffering brought us life eternal and righteousness.

Moreover, the story didn’t end with His death. The Bible says, “Thus, it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day” (Luke 24:46). Therefore, rather than lament about His death, we are to celebrate His death and much more, celebrate His resurrection from the dead. It is His resurrection from the dead that gave us a new life and made us associates of the God-kind. God wants you to live every day in the victory of the death, burial and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as death and the grave could not hold him down, nothing from the pit of darkness should be able to exert control or influence over you. Refuse to allow anything keep you in bondage. Refuse to allow poverty take a hold on you because Jesus took your place of poverty that you have His place of riches (2 Corinthians 8:9). Whatever you could not have, be it children, jobs, breakthroughs etc, you can have them now because of the victory of Christ Jesus.

INSTRUCTION: Refuse to allow anything keep you in bondage.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which has restored me to my life of glory, in Jesus Name. Amen.

QUOTE: Glory is not feeling.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: AMOS CHAPTER 2; EVENING: 2KINGS CHAPTER 9

UNDERSTANDING SALVATION (1)

“Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow”  1 Peter 1:10-11.

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: The crucifixion of Christ was necessary for the salvation of men. 

Our text today talks about the glory that was to follow after the crucifixion of Christ. Part of that glory is the salvation of man. The crucifixion of Christ was necessary for the salvation of man. Without the crucifixion of Christ, man’s salvation could not have been accomplished. Luke 24:46-47 says, “And he said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”. Salvation is an all-encompassing word that encapsulates all that God wrought for us in Christ including life, health, wealth etc. He suffered for your sake. He was your substitute on that cross. He took your place that you might take His place. Your place was that of sin and death; His place was that of life and righteousness.

The Bible says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). He was made sin for us, who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus did not just save you from sin. He gave you His life and nature. When you come to the realization and understanding of the importance of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, then you will appreciate his death and appropriate the benefits of salvation in your life. Today, sin and its effects and consequences have no dominion over you. You are free to serve God and to live for Him. You are now accepted in the beloved. You can now access the presence of God with boldness, all because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Man was separated from glory due to Adam’s transgression but because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the glory has been restored. You are brought into that life of glory the moment you are born again.

INSTRUCTION: Accept what Jesus did for you on the cross.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which has restored me to my life of glory, in Jesus Name. Amen.

QUOTE: Salvation is comprehensive.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: AMOS CHAPTER 2; EVENING: 2 KINGS CHAPTER 9

THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST

“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, woman, where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, no man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more” John 8:10-11.

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: Jesus paid the price for our freedom through His death on the cross.

To be free means to obtain without any payment. It means to have another pay the price you couldn’t pay in order to let you go. It also means not enslaved or imprisoned; to be free from obstruction or any form of blockage. The death of Jesus paid for all our freedom but it is the knowledge in the liberty that Christ has provided that guarantees our freedom (Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:1). Spiritual freedom brings about physical manifestations in all our endeavours. Believers in Christ need to know that the bill for their freedom has been paid in full. Accepting Jesus brings freedom. You can only be free as a son of God. Responsible sons in the spirit are free because they are empowered. Freedom comes to men of understanding and not church goers (John 8:36). It is your redemption that brings about the totality of your freedom. According to today’s text, the woman was caught in the very act of adultery and she must have thought that was her end. According to the law, she was supposed to be stoned to death. But by the divine mercies of God, her accusers did not know that they were bringing her to her freedom.

To be free, you must ultimately accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. The woman in today’s text acknowledged Jesus as Lord. When you acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, no other power can keep you in bondage (1John 3:8). You must consciously be mindful of what Jesus did for you at the cross.  It is the knowledge of the liberty you have that guarantees your victory. The devil will only take advantage of your ignorance of who you are in Christ. When you don’t know your rights as a believer in Christ Jesus, you become a plaything in the hands of the devil. But when the devil knows that you are aware of your position in Christ, he stays away. It is your responsibility to know that you are free and that Satan no longer has any stronghold on you. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

INSTRUCTION: Don’t be ignorant of your freedom.

PRAYER: Lord, I stand fast in the liberty you have provided for me in Jesus Name.

QUOTE: He whom the son of man sets free is free indeed.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: MATTHEW 27; EVENING: 2CHRONICLES CHAPTER 29

YOU HAVE BEEN MADE ALIVE

“For as in Adam, all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” 1 Corinthians 15:22

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: Eternal life functions in our belief system.

To be regenerated means your genes have been replaced with the genes of Christ. Everything in you belongs to God. The moment you receive Jesus, no part of you is left under the dominion of Satan. Colossians 1:13-14 says, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins”. Eternal life functions in our belief system. Jesus Christ kept the one time appointment with death (Hebrews 9:27). There is no judgment for any man who is in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NLT) says, “so now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus”. Anyone in Christ has escaped judgment. The world was already judged and sentenced to death when Adam disobeyed God in the garden. The mission of Jesus Christ is to save the world from the authority of death. Jesus speaking in Matthew 5:17 says, “think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill”.  Everything that belongs to Satan and his operation has been dissolved. Jesus Christ reversed all that was done in Adam by taking our place in death. Jesus kept the appointment of death on behalf of all of us (Hebrews 2:9). He did not just deal with the power of death, but He took care of all the principalities and powers.

Therefore, death is an option. You can choose to die or choose to live; the choice is yours. But, I advise refuse to die no matter what happens to you. Why? It is because you have been made alive in Christ Jesus. Everything about the first Adam is death and his children are everywhere looking for whom to waste. All you need is to be conscious of the life of Christ in you. My honest prayer for you today is that God will deliver you from the hands of unreasonable and wicked men: for all men has no faith (2Thessalonianas 3:2). The life you have is an non-destructive life because that is God in you and the life of God cannot be destroyed by any being. Christ took your death and gave you His life. Paul said in Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Maintain this confession as you step out today and you will see yourself operate in life even where you were supposed to die.

INSTRUCTION: Never lose focus of what Christ has done for you.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the spirit of life at work in me, in Jesus Name.

QUOTE: The Cross is the symbol of authority for all believers.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 2CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 5; EVENING: ECCL. CHAPTER 6

THE GIVING NATURE OF A BELIEVER

“For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” 2 Corinthians 8:12

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: A man who has arrived in Christ cannot respond to lust.

Willingness in giving should be your attitude as a believer. Until there is willingness in your heart, your gift can not be accepted by God. Men may accept your gift but if it is not out of a willing heart then there is no blessing attached to it. It is that willingness in your heart to give that turns it into kindness. The summary of the indwelling spirit of God in the life of the believer is kindness. Giving is an act of kindness of our spirit and nature as believers. As believers, we are useful or profitable in giving. Kindness and giving as believers is our nature. It is beyond a character. Love is our nature in Christ and love by nature is kind. The summary of love is giving. There is no true love without a sacrifice. The culture of the believer is giving. When a believer understands his nature, he swallows up every wrong attitude towards material things. A man who has arrived in Christ does not respond to lust. As believers, we have learning in Christ. And that learning has to do with the believers conduct and material blessing. Material blessings must be seen as a ‘means’. A believer must not be seen living for money or becoming bad custodians of money. If a man lust to be rich, then it should be at the expense of his service to God. When a believer becomes consecrated to service to God, then money becomes a means and not an end.

The trap of mammon (money) is found in one’s lack of faith. When a man lacks faith, he begins to trust in earthly riches. Love of money is as a result of lack of faith. When the believer trusts God as his source, then he lives above things. The resources of a believer are for the advancement of the kingdom – the spread of the gospel and to help others. As a believer, you give to honor God, as a proof that you have overcome greed and because it is more blessed than to receive. The first thing to give for the end-time harvest is one’s self. Until you give yourself, nothing comes out of you. By supporting the gospel, you lay up treasures in heaven (James 2:15-17).

INSTRUCTION: Learn to live above material things.

PRAYER: Lord, I dedicate myself and my resources for the advancement of your kingdom, in Jesus Name.

QUOTE: Success is not measured by what you have but by who you are.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 13; EVENING: PROVERBS CHAPTER 29

THE REIGN OF LIFE

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my father’s hand” John 10:28-29

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: The greatest gift you can receive is the gift of eternal life.

Anyone who receives eternal life cannot perish. Jesus testifies of this in our anchor scripture for today that no man shall pluck them out of his hand nor from his father’s hand. Eternal life is what preserves us from death and then, protects us against the forces of devil. Eternal life is Christ gave us after his death on the cross. The greatest gift a believer can receive is the gift of eternal life (Colossians 3:3). Eternal life is the realm where nothing can go wrong. Eternal life is the will of God for all believers (John 6:40). Eternal life is what qualifies you to be a child of God. The moment you come into Christ, you receive eternal life. What gives birth to a believer is the Word of truth and the devil cannot stand against it (James 1:18). When you receive eternal life, you become an overcomer (1John 5:1-4). You have been wired by divinity to overcome the world naturally. Life is in you only if you are in Christ.

It is the eternal life in you that guarantees your overcoming. God is not God outside eternal life. Eternal life reveals beyond the natural. Your faith in the finished work of Christ is what makes eternal life available to you. Eternal life is what helps you to overcome hell. You cannot enter heaven outside of eternal life. Jesus went to hell to pay the consequences of sin. Acts 2:24 (NLT) says, “But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.” Life is eternal for those who are in Christ Jesus. When you crave for life, you have to first receive the owner of life. You can’t find life outside Jesus. Outside Jesus is death, in Him is life; and you cannot discard what or rather who you need. Eternal life is not an award but a love gift from God because you didn’t deserve it (Romans 5:8). When you reject love, you operate in hatred and hatred is destructive and it is from the devil. God’s gift to you is an eternal life. When you come into Christ, you are eternally secured; this is why it is called eternal life. God is the owner and operator of the eternal life. It is called eternal security and it can only be guaranteed via your belief in Christ. Man has no hand in the operation of eternal life, hence no man can pluck you out of the hand of God (John 10:28).

INSTRUCTION:Believe in eternal life.

PRAYER:Lord, I receive eternal life into my spirit man, in Jesus Name.

QUOTE:Jesus surrendered eternal life and went to hell. Nobody could take it from Him.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 2CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 4; EVENING: ECCL. CHAPTER 5

YOU ARE A FULFILLED PROMISE

                                                   

“For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled with a resounding ‘Yes’! And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “yes” ascends to God for his glory” 2Corinthians 1:20(NLT).

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.

There is need to know that there are no unfulfilled promises in God and there are no more promises waiting to be fulfilled. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. As a born again child of God, you have become an heir of God. You are a joint heir with Christ. This means that everything God has is now yours (1 Corinthians 3:21). You now live in the promises God made to Abraham. This happened the moment you received the gospel and welcomed Christ into your heart by being born again. What is expected of you now is to enjoy the blessing that is in Christ. Failure, sickness, diseases, lack, disappointment, lack and death should not and cannot be a part of your life anymore. You must consciously refuse to fail or be poor because you are wired to succeed. Fruitfulness and productivity are your birthright. The fullness of the blessings of the Gospel has been made possible and available to you in Christ. They are no more promises waiting to be fulfilled or things to hope for. Eternal life is yours NOW! Divine health is at work in you NOW! Praise the Lord!!!

If someone tells you that he will give you some money tomorrow, that’s a promise. When tomorrow comes and the person fulfills the promise, you can no longer say you were promised some money. Rather, you will say that you have received the money you were promised yesterday. The inheritance was promised in Christ. When Christ came, the promise was fulfilled. The Bible says, “And if ye be Christ’s, then ye Are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). God has already blessed you with every blessing that is in Christ. Prosperity, Victory, Divine health and eternal life are now yours in Christ. By virtue of being in Christ Jesus, all these things have been activated in you. You are no longer waiting for the fulfillment. You are already living and walking in the fulfillment of God’s promises. According to 2 Peter 1:3, “According to his divine power, hath given unto us all things that <pertain> unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that calleth us to glory and virtue”. Therefore, you must understand that all things are yours and you must consciously make good use of your inheritance in Christ Jesus.

INSTRUCTION: Never see yourself as a victim. Rule your world for you are an heir of God.

PRAYER: Father, I declare and affirm that the whole world is my inheritance. I have access to all the blessings in Christ Jesus, in Jesus name.

QUOTE: Until you rise, nothing will change.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: ACTS CHAPTER 1; EVENING: JOB CHAPTER 22

LIVE TO HELP OTHERS

            ‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly ’’ –Psalm 84:11

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: You cannot live for others except you first live for God.

If God’s love does not dwell richly in your heart, it will be impossible for you to live for others. It is he that motivates you to live a self-sacrificing life. God has shown you how to love others. He took the initiative and loved you by giving Himself for you. What better way can you imitate God? Uprightness means have a right standing before God. Walking uprightly in effect involves living your life for others. Today’s text says that the Lord will be a shield for he who walks uprightly. Therefore, it is God’s desire that you become a helper or a blessing to another man.

If you do not imbibe by this kingdom principle, you are far from prosperity. If your salary or income is strictly meant for you and your immediate family member, then you are doomed. In no distant time you will start eating from hand to mouth. Sons and daughters, learn to give to others. Take steps to ask about the welfare of other people. Invest in their lives. Consciously affect people’s lives. As God blesses you, don’t hold back the blessing from people.  God knows how best to reward you. Above all, don’t look down on the poor; never cast them out, because if you do so, you are looking down on the God who created them. Be wise! Be smart! The moment you start practicing this, the sky will be your starting point.

One of the Biblical examples of people who lived for others was Dorcas who was brought back to life because she lived her life for others. Jesus painted a picture of living for others by narrating a parable of the Good Samaritan who attended to the needs of the Jewish man Luke 10: 30-35. What will you be remembered for? Remember, living for others is a great gain.

INSTRUCTION: Don’t look down on the poor.

PRAYER: Lord, give me the grace to live for you and others, in Jesus name.

QUOTE:  Right connection brings right collection.

DAILY READING: MORNING: EZRA 3; EVENING: 1 CORINTHIANS 9                                        

HONOUR GOD AND HIS MEN

“But Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house” Mark 6:4

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: Whatever God honours must be treated as such.

The word, ‘honour’ means to respect, to treat with reverence, to treat as uncommon and to hold in high regard. Every believer is expected to respect God and everything that the name of the Lord is placed upon. It could be a place, people, location etc (Mark 2:1). When God is not respected, His blessings cannot come on the people concerned (Mark 6:6). When priests enter a city, they must be welcomed, honoured and received (Matthew 10:13-14). To dishonor the men God sends to you is to dishonor God. Whatever God honours must be honoured. What you do not honour, is what you do not expect to receive (Mark 6:3-6). The danger of dishonor is to bring judgment and destruction. To receive from the Grace of God, you must learn to observe principles.

Honour is faith in action. It is a doctrine of the faith of Christ. The more we recognize, the more we function in the grace of God over a person’s life. When we walk in honour, it means that we believe in the finished work of Christ. Honour can interrupt the affairs of divinity for a man’s sake (Mark 5:25-34). Honour is seen in the way you receive. When you treat it as ordinary and common, you lose the virtue and value that comes with it. You do not attract what you do not honour and respect. It is the attitude of honour and respect to God that determines what flows from Him to us.

INSTRUCTION: Do not treat God or His men as common.

PRAYER: Lord, as I honor you, I receive all the blessings that flow to me, in Jesus Name.

QUOTE: Never expect from who you do not respect.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 1; EVENING: ECCL. CHAPTER 2

YOU ARE JUSTIFIED

“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1

LIGHT FOR THE NOW:  We are justified through faith we have in Christ Jesus.

To be justified is to be discharged; having no charge; to be free; to be acquitted. To justify is to declare someone right. By justification, we are united with God, having one mind with Him and also in union with Him. We are justified through the faith we have in Christ Jesus. It is faith in what he has done that justifies us. Justification restores us to our original place in God. It is a benefit of resurrection. By sin, man lost his original place in God. Sin collected all that man was empowered with. Sin empowers death and death is the payment for sin. Through justification, we were restored to our original place of dominion. By justification, all of God’s nature, person and power are at work in us. We become everything that God is by justification. Justification is not a function of feelings but a legal issue. By justification, we have been declared right. Righteousness is not forgiveness of sins or a pardon but been declared right by God through Jesus. Righteousness is not being of good moral conduct, but it is a free gift of God through Christ Jesus. It is not what you do. Righteousness is not a reward for good moral conduct. It is a gift.
What renews your mind is the understanding you have concerning how God sees you and what He says about you. Sinners are rebels. They are those who rebel against God’s Word. Your being put right with God is a function of Jesus payment. He paid with his life on the cross. “For God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life”(Romans 5:8-10). Therefore, God’s attitude towards sinners is that of favour. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross restored man back to God. Sin can therefore not break our relationship with God because sin has been dealt with. We have no record of sin anymore.

INSTRUCTION: Stay Justified.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for the gift of your son to restore me back to you, in Jesus Name. Amen!

QUOTE: Justification is not in feelings, it is a legal issue.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: OBADIAH CHAPTER 1; EVENING: 2 KINGS CHAPTER 17

A NEW CREATURE

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom we are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering ” Hebrew 2:10.

LIGHT FOR THE NOW: Every born again child of God is Christ in the flesh living here on earth.

Jesus was not born but he was re-created. At new birth, a born again child of God is not repaired but he is re-born anew. Being born again has nothing to do with a change of character or being but has everything to do with a change of nature. At new birth, a child of God receives the nature of Christ. A born again Christian is not a product of blood, flesh nor the will of man but of God (John 1:13) and whatever is born of God is God. Therefore, a new creature is Christ in the flesh living here on earth. The incarnate Jesus was the only begotten son of God. But when Christ resurrected from the dead, he became the first begotten of the Father. This means that every born again Christian by adoption becomes a son of God. When you receive Jesus, you become regenerated.

The greatest creation of God is the creation of God in a man. Of all that God created, a new creation is the greatest. The devil cannot handle seeing God in a man. He cannot comprehend it. This is why the devil remains defeated because a new creation is a mystery to him. The Bible speaking in Galatians 3:27 (NLT) says, ‘And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on the character of Christ, like putting on new clothes’.  A new creation is not traceable to Adam but he is traceable to Christ. A new man in Christ is better and higher than Adam in his perfect state. A new creature is a partaker of the divine nature of God (2 Peter 1:4).  A new creature is Christ living here on earth. Ephesians 5:30 says, ‘For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones        He is a co-creator. A new creation has what it takes to bring what has never been into existence. There is no impossibility in the life of a new creature. No matter where you leave a new creature, he will always create something out of nothing. A new creature is not permitted to be stranded in life.

INSTRUCTION: Walk in the newness of life.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for my new position in Christ Jesus, in Jesus Name.

QUOTE: A new creature cannot be stranded in life.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: MATTHEW 17; EVENING: PSALM CHAPTER 25

ETERNAL LIFE: GOD’S GIFT TO BELIEVERS (2)

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”   John 10:28

LIGHT FOR THE NOW:  Eternal life is the greatest gift from God to mankind.

Eternal life is neither an event nor a feeling but it is a person and that person is Jesus Christ. The arrival of Jesus Christ into the world was the arrival of eternal life. This is the God-kind of life. Our text clearly makes us to understand that eternal life is attainable only through the person of Jesus Christ. He is the source of eternal life. No one can give what he/she does not have. Jesus is the eternal life. John 1:4 says,” in him was life, and the life was the light of men”. You might ask what kind of life was in him. John 3:16 provides the answer. It reads, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life”. Eternal life is synonymous with everlasting life. From the context of these two scriptures, it is logical to say that in Jesus is eternal life or that the personality of Jesus Christ is eternal life. The scripture in 1 John 5:11 says, “And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his son”. Eternal life is the portion of those who believe in the name of Jesus Christ.

Our text today gives us an assurance; that as believers, no man will be able to pluck us out of the hands of Jesus Christ. In His hand, there is life, security and prosperity. It therefore means that eternal life preserves you from death because your life is hid in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:3). Whatever cannot destroy Jesus cannot destroy you. When you operate in this realm, you will be constantly aware of your Believer’s Bill of Rights. Therefore, nothing and nobody has the right to look down on you or molest you. Eternal life has the capacity to make you who you want to be in life.

INSTRUCTION: Believe in Christ Jesus and have eternal life.

PRAYER: Father, I receive eternal life and I have life in abundance, in Jesus name.

QUOTE: Eternal life has the capacity to make you.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: MARK 8; EVENING: EZRA CHAPTER 1