FOUNTAIN OF LIFE FOR TODAY!

WISDOM: GODLY COMPANIONS

He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20

The people you surround yourself with can either help you rise high in life or cause your downfall. Proverbs 27:17 says, ‘Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.’ If you stay around positive-minded people, your life will be carved around the cliché, ‘Nothing is impossible with me.’ If you settle around negative thinkers, you will always live in the fear of the unknown.

Bible says in Psalms 1:1, ‘Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.’ This scripture clearly underscores the kind of company every child of God must keep. The company of the wicked, sinners and scoffers (mockers) is one that you must avoid. The memory verse says he who walks with wise men will be wise, but he who walks with fools shall be destroyed. In 2 Corinthians 5:16, the Bible says that ‘wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh…’ This means that we must not, as believers, relate with others not according to the standards of the flesh but after the Spirit.

Beloved, today’s study does not mean don’t speak at all with unbelievers because God has sent you to win them over to Christ. But you are admonished not to stay in the company of people who will corrupt your spirit. The people who speak vainly, profanely, negatively and discouragingly are people you must avoid. Let your friends be people who will encourage in the Lord and in spiritual matters. Saturate your life with people who speak the mind of God concerning situations.

Prayer

I thank You Lord for today. I make a choice to surround myself with people who speak Your mind concerning issues and not negative thinking people. May my life influence the friends I move with so they will walk to please You. Be glorified in my life today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Psalms 1:1; Proverbs 27:17; 2 Corinthians 5:16

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WISDOM: KEEP YOUR WAY FROM SIN AND ITS APPEARANCES

Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house, [9] lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one; [10] lest aliens be filled with your wealth, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner Proverbs 5:8-9

We live in a generation when sin and its appearances are on the ascendancy. Deuteronomy 32:5 says the people of this age ‘have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.’ It is time for the children of light to stand out and be counted in a world of darkness. Remember that we are the light of the world.

The memory verse teaches us to stay so far away from sin because they have consequences. Bible says if you allow sin to reign over you, you risk giving your honor to others, your years to the devil, your wealth to aliens and the fruit of your labor to foreigners. This contradicts the promise of God for His children in Isaiah 61:5, ‘And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers’ and it satisfies the plans of the devil. Bible says he came to steal, kill and destroy. Hence, he tempts you daily with sin and its appearances. But you have the Holy Spirit to prompt you to stay away from sin and its appearances.

Romans 6:12-13 says, ‘Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.’ Beloved, learn to rededicate your life unto God daily, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and stay in the word. Jesus has given you victory and power over sin!

Prayer

I thank You dear Lord for today’s word. I know now that sin and its appearances can deny me of Your immense promises for my life. I refuse to bow to the pressures of sin because I know I have victory in Christ Jesus. I choose to live to please only You. Thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen

Reference: Deuteronomy 32:5; Isaiah 61:5; Romans 6:12-13

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WISDOM: KEEP YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

One of the most important human body parts is the heart. The Bible says that it is out of the heart that all the issues of life emanate from. Jeremiah understood this and hence he said, in Jeremiah 17:9, that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?’ This prophet was probably overwhelmed by the matters of the heart.

You may not know the function of the heart, but the memory verse provides us with immense wisdom. Bible says that because the issues of life proceed from the heart, it is needful that you keep your heart with all carefulness. Why is this necessary? So that no root of bitterness grows in your heart and thereby prevent you from having a perfect relationship with God. Proverbs 14:13 says, ‘even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.’ This scripture is a reason why you need to keep your heart with diligence. How do you keep your heart with diligence? By keeping the word in your heart and applying your heart to divine counsel. Psalms 119:11 says, ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’

The more you study the word and meditate on it, the more you receive divine counsel and instruction from God. This certainly enables you to keep your heart and not allow bitterness to gain grounds in your heart. Remember that a pure heart and a prepared spirit are all the grounds the Holy Spirit needs in your life to work out the plans and purposes of God for your life.

Prayer

I thank You dear Lord for today’s wisdom key which admonishes me to keep my heart with all diligence. I thank You that my heart is a prepared home for the Holy Spirit to dwell and make manifest the power of God in me. Have Your way in me today. Thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Psalms 119:11; Matthew 12:34; Mark 7:21

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WISDOM: GIVE ATTENTION TO THE SCRIPTURES

My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. [21] Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; [22] for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22

The things that seek our attention today are so enormous that often people get frustrated. In a particular day, your family, your work, your friends and your church could all be in high demand of your attention. The newspapers will draw your attention in the course of the day and so will the advertising world. There is always something new to attract your curiosity.

In the midst of this chaos, learn to give your attention to the scriptures. The opening scriptures teach us how to give our full attention to the unadulterated word of God. It mentions the ear, the eyes and the heart – the same three body parts that the best advertisers employ to get our attention to their products. In order to give your attention to the scriptures, first learn to incline your ear to the word because ‘faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ Secondly, let not the scriptures depart from your eyes because your eye is the entry point into your soul. Finally, keep the word in your heart because out of it flow the issues of life.

When you give undivided attention to the scriptures, your life begins to shine and you are changed from glory to glory. The Lord begins to take preeminence in your affairs and your steps are perfected. Sin, sickness, fear and anxiety are not able to come into your domain again because your world is governed by the word of God. Acquire this wisdom key: if there is anything that should get your attention, let it be the scriptures.

Prayer

I thank You Lord that it is in Your plan that anytime I give my attention to the word, I will receive life in abundance. I make a choice today to give my attention to the power in the word, knowing that it able to transform me into Your glory. Be glorified in me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Proverbs 3:8; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 12:18; Romans 10:17

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Get Your Joy Back!

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18(NIV)

God’s will for you is to see you joyful always, no matter the things going on around you. God wants you to be happy and not stay so uptight and anxious of the future. He wants you to enjoy your life no matter what your circumstances may look like. In fact, when you have joy in the midst of difficult circumstances, it is the evidence of your faith and trust in God that He will bring you through.

Bible says that the supernatural joy of God in the believer is his strength. When you have His joy, you can stand strong no matter what is going on around you. I have realized that God made us all different emotionally, but you can train yourself to laugh more. Research has shown that the average child laughs over 200 times a day, but the average adult only laughs 4 times a day. What happened? Most adults have allowed the pressures of this life, stress and more responsibilities to steal their joy little by little. But understand that no adversity or negative situation can be greater than your God!

Today, make a decision to get your joy back. Decide that you are going to look beyond your problems and focus solely on God to see you through. Even if you lose your money, your job or your material possessions, don’t lose your joy! For the joy of the Lord is your strength!  Today, pray that God will fill you with His supernatural peace and joy so that you can live in His strength and victory!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I humbly receive Your Word today. I choose to open my heart to You and invite You to fill me with Your joy and strength. Thank You for showing me Your goodness and empowering me with Your grace. I bless You today and always in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: 2Corinthians 6:10; Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 4:4

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ALL ABOUT THE WAY YOU FINISH

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7(NIV)

So often when people make mistakes, they get down on themselves and think, “If only...” or “I should have...” or “What if...?” Yes, it is easy to feel you have missed the best plan for your life in such situations. And often this happens when people get discouraged and stop pursuing their God-given dreams; when they take their eyes off the Author and Finisher of our faith – Jesus Christ!

But understand today that just because you made a mistake or failed in a certain way, that doesn’t cancel God’s plan for you. God has never disqualified you. He never says, “Go and sit on the sidelines. You have blown your opportunities too many times. You have got too many weaknesses.” No, God always gives you another chance to advance in His plan for you! Some of the great people in the Bible, and even in history, made very poor choices. The apostle Paul started off as a murderer, yet his destiny was bigger than his mistakes. He ended up becoming a great leader and wrote over half of the New Testament. Peter denied Jesus Christ three times and yet He became the leader of the Apostles who shook the world with the message of Christ.

What am I saying? Your mistakes, your failures, your poor choices don’t have to keep you from your God-given destiny. With God, it is not about the way you start in life, it is about the way you finish. Today, receive His grace to finish and embrace the bright future your Father has prepared for you!

Prayer

Father God, I thank You for Your grace and mercy to me. I trust that my days are ordered of You. I ask that You strengthen and empower me to fulfill Your call on my life. I receive the strength to finish the race that is set for me. I love You and I bless You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 9:24-25; 1 Timothy 6:12; Hebrews 12:1

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BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER

The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. Proverbs 4:18 (NLT)

The life of every child of God is supposed to be a progressive one – from glory to glory. But beloved, that does not mean you may not face an adversity. Rather, it means that even in the midst of adversity, you are more than a conqueror. Child of God, the Father’s promises for you is that your path will shine brighter and brighter as you choose to walk in His truth and righteousness.

What is righteousness? Righteousness is being in right standing with God. It is a gift we receive from God. We are made righteous by the blood of Jesus, but then we are supposed to also out of faith choose to walk in righteousness by choosing to follow God’s commands. God is holy and He only draws near to those who walk in His precepts. John 8 tells us that Jesus is the light of the world. The closer you are to Him, the closer you are to the light source, and the brighter your path will be. With every step you take, your path will begin to shine brighter and brighter. And it is going to keep shining brighter until the day you see Him face to face.

No matter what you may be facing today, be encouraged because Bible says that your path is shining brighter. All you need to do is to keep moving forward in faith; keep praying, keep believing, keep walking in righteousness, knowing that God has a good plan for you. Beloved, with every step you take and every decision you make in Him, He brings you a step closer to greatness!

Prayer

Father God, I thank You for the wonderful plan and purpose that You have for me. I desire to be in right standing with You. Show me Your ways and teach me to walk righteously before You. Shine Your light in my heart as I walk in your path of life. Thank You Lord in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Reference: 2 Samuel 23:4; Matthew 5:14, 45; Philippians 2:15

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DECLARE THE NEW THINGS

See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you. Isaiah 42:9 (NIV)

Are you ready, mind, body and spirit, to see something new happen in your life today? Do you have enough faith to expect great doors opening unto you today? Then ask yourself: what have I been declaring? Are you declaring what you see in your natural surrounding? Are you declaring your worries and frustrations to others? Are you declaring God’s goodness and promises over your life?

Bible tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. That means you can set your future in the direction that God has designed it to go according to what you choose to declare. The words you declare today will give your future a specific direction. Have you not read from the Bible that you shall decree a thing and it shall be established? Have you not read that your God calls the things that are not as though they were? Beloved, if you can see a change in your circumstances, then begin by changing your words. Rather than using your words to describe your situation, use your words to change your situation. Rather than talking about the challenge, choose to talk about your God!

God says He is doing a new thing in your life today which is irrespective of your past. Start declaring these new things in order to start seeing new things! Make a choice to declare blessing, declare peace, declare wholeness and declare God’s Word and watch how God through you confession will shape your future and lead you into the wonderful new things He has prepared for you! Begin to declare the new!

Confession

Today, I declare blessing, peace, wholeness, increase and overwhelming victory into my life. I am a child of the King and so I declare that every good thing is coming to me. I will stay above only and never beneath. I am a success and never a failure. I live in abundance and not in lack!

Reference: Job 22:28-29; Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6

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FLOURISH LIKE THE PALM TREE

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree... Psalm 92:12(NKJV)

Picture a palm tree in the midst of a great storm! Unlike all other trees, the palm tree may be bent so far over to the point of almost touching the ground by the storm, but when the wind finally stops, that palm tree will bounce right back up. The most interesting part of it is that while the palm tree is hunched over under the pressure of the storm, it actually grows stronger and more resilient!

The reason why God said you would flourish like a palm tree is because He knew there would be difficult times; times when the storms of life will blow against your expectation and even bend over your faith. He knew that things would come against you that will to try to steal your joy and victory. And yet God says that you will be like a palm tree because He knows that you are equipped to bounce right back up after every storm. He knows that the contrary winds will only serve to strengthen your faith in Him. Bible says no weapon formed against you will prosper. In another way, Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”

The palm tree does not just withstand the storm; it is also capable of producing palm oil, palm wine, palm fronds for broom, nuts for soup, mushroom and others. Beloved, the Holy Spirit inside you will strengthen you to withstand any contrary wind blowing against you. He will also make you productive in all that you do. Today, like the palm tree, God is making you to flourish!

Prayer

Father in heaven, I thank You for making me strong in You today. I trust that You are working in my life, even in the midst of the storms. Thank You for making me stronger, wiser and better off than ever before and for making me productive. I will trust You always in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Psalm 52:8; Isaiah 65:22; Hosea 14:5-6

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GOD IS NOT A REMINDER OF YOUR SINS

…Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Hebrews 10:17

Today’s memory verse is good news for every child of God and even for the unsaved. After you have come to God and confessed to Him out of a genuine heart of repentance, He forgives you and looks at all your sins – ugly, unspeakable and shameful – and says, “Your sins I remember no more!” The words “no more” are a strong double negative which means God is saying, “Your sins I will by no means ever remember!”

This does not mean God has lowered His standards. He is still perfectly holy. But it means He saw all your sins nailed to the cross over 2000 years ago. Every sin which you have committed was punished to the full in the body of Jesus Christ at the cross. That is why today, God remembers your sins no more. If God had forgiven and forgotten what you did in the past, then you will need to do same. Refuse to be sin-conscious by always looking to the cross. If you don’t look to the cross, you will become conscious of your past and walk around with guilt even after God has forgiven you. And this gives the devil a chance to suppress you.

Today, you need to come to the place where you know and believe that your sins are forgiven, that there is no past that will ever disqualify you from God’s blessings because you are forgiven and saved eternally. Hebrews 10:12, 14 says, “But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God…For by one offering He has perfected forever…”

Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank You for today and for the truth that because of the blood Jesus shed for me, all my sins have been wiped away. For this reason, I decide to live only to please You and to live in Your perfect way. I receive all the blessings that come along in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!

Reference: Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 1:18; Hebrews 10:12, 14

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PANT FOR THE LORD

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. Psalm 42:1

Esau’s birthright exchange demonstrates how desperate a hungry person can become. In Genesis 25:29-34, we learn how traded his birthright for food. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:24 demonstrate how desperate a thirsty person can be. Today, I want you to ask yourself: how thirsty or hungry am I to know the Lord and His ways?

In the memory verse, David shows how intense and desperate his yearning for the Lord was with the illustration of the deer panting for water. The deer’s only source of hope and security on the desert, where it is surrounded by different predators, is the streams. In times of trouble, it runs desperately in search of one. Inside the stream, it finds both protection from predators and water to quench its thirst. The deer knows that unless it finds a stream to hide in it, it is surely on the verge of death. What David must be implying then is that if you will get to the point of knowing that your only source of survival is the Lord, you will understand how important it is to God and His ways.

If you know the Lord, you can survive in a world of chaos and confusion. Beloved, let your present condition propel you to seek the Lord. Become so thirsty to know God that you will search the truth in the word and commune with the Holy Spirit daily. Remember that Matthew 5:6 says those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are blessed and shall be filled. Today, run to the river of life – Jesus Christ – because without Him, you are lost in the world.

Prayer

I thank You Lord that Your presence is always available unto me. I know that without You I am lost. I make a choice to pant after You daily and to hide in your grace so the devil cannot touch my life. Lord, please unveil Your ways and Your very nature to me today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Genesis 25:29-34; Joel 1:20; Luke 16:22-25

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FAVOR IN THE SIGHT OF ENEMIES

And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Exodus 12:36

Favor is a preferential treatment meted out to you even when you have done nothing to deserve it. It is that special grace God deposits on His children so that they always stay steps ahead of their colleagues. Beloved, God has called you into His favor. Today, He promises to favor you even in the sight of your enemies.

The memory verse says God gave the people of Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians so much that the Israelites received their requests and even plundered the Egyptians. God caused the same people who oppressed the Israelites to favor them beyond measure. The Egyptians probably may have thought that they were trying to help the Israelites by favoring them when actually it was the finger of God instructing them. The Egyptians were left with no choice than to favor the people that God has selected and ordained to be priests and kings unto Him. David re-enacts this event by singing ‘He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.’

Today, God will cause the people who despised you and rejected you to favor you. They will inevitably prosper your cause. Solomon, in Proverbs 16:7, said ‘when a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.’ The people who didn’t want to see your face in your office, in your school, in your locality or even in your family will begin to favor you. They that thought evil against you will announce your promotion and they that denied you will now accept you.

Prayer

I love You Lord for You have caused even my enemies to live at peace with me. I thank You that You have caused my enemies to favor me today. May my life overwhelm and plunder the devil and his cohorts as I walk in favor and increase. I thank You for Your favor in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Genesis 15:14; Exodus 11:3; Proverbs 16:7

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS (REV ALEX MINISTERS IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA)

It is the year of Unlimited Possibilities and the Holy Spirit is on the move...Rev Alex has been invited to minister at a program in Nigeria (Port Harcourt). The church, Temple of Praise Int'l Church, bears the same name as our great church and through divine connection, their head Pastor met with Rev Alex. After visiting the Tesano branch of Temple of Praise Ministries, the head pastor (Pastor Joseph Terebo) has invited Rev Alex to be the main speaker at a conference which doubles as the their 1st Anniversary celebration. Date is from the 10th to the 12th May 2013, at Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Let us pray and support Rex Alex (International Missions director, Temple of Praise Ministries) as he takes the Word to Nigeria in the power of the Holy Spirit!!! Remember, in the year of Unlimited Possibilities, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!!!!!!! God bless you...

FOUNTAIN OF LIFE TODAY!

THE TIME OF FAVOR

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. Psalm 102:13 (NKJV)

Today, you will need to move from just believing in God’s promises to expecting them. A pregnant woman in her first five months believes God for safe delivery, but when she gets to her ninth month, she crosses over from believing to expecting. You have believed God for favor to accomplish something, but now is the time of favor.

Bible says God will arise and have mercy on Zion for the time to favor her – the set time – has come. The set time for God to favor you is now. In Genesis 49:19 Jacob prophesied on his son, Gad, that ‘a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.’ Later, in Mark 5, Jesus met a descendant of Gad who had been overpowered by a troop or legion, delivered him and Gad finally overcame as has prophesied. It was not sheer coincidence that Jesus met and delivered the man from the family of Gad. Jesus was right in time to fulfill the prophecy because that was the time of favor.

When your time of favor comes, absolutely no one can stop you from shinning. Nothing can prevent you from breaking forth in victory. Beloved, the appointed time for you to land that mega contract is now. This is the time for open doors! All the doors that were once closed are opening right now; the doors to your marriage, to your health, to your wealth, to your job, to completing that project and for wisdom. Don’t sit down believing for them. They have arrived so take a step of faith into them!

Confession

This is my time of favor and my time to shine and nothing can stop me. I don’t just believe in my dreams, but I see them coming to pass right now. I see the door to my marriage, health, wealth, job, project and increase opened and I walk into them. I am a prodigy of divine favor this week!

Reference: Genesis 49:19; Zechariah 1:12; Mark 5

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THE GOOD WARFARE

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV)

Fundamentally, Christianity is a warfare in which we are all involved; and there is no exit until the end. The moment you began your Christian life, by faith in Jesus Christ, you entered a lifelong battle with the devil. And this warfare is not intended to be easy. Unfortunately, many Christians today forget that.

Some Christians also think that the objective of this warfare is just to survive to the end of life – to fight the battle to keep healthy and stay alive. No, that is not the Christian warfare. Paul is talking about being a Christian, about living a Christ-like life in the midst of dangerous pressures and countering forces. That is the battle. To be realistic in a world of illusion; not to chase after all the fantasies of this world, but to get God's point of view; to see things as they are and to deal with them honestly, realistically, and openly – that is the battle.

The battle Paul is talking about is to be a loving person who has concern and compassion for people in times of harassment, when others are giving way to hatred and violence. The battle is to live exemplarily among those who have lost their way, to turn them away from destruction and bring them back to God. The good warfare is to live your life for a purpose!

Confession

I know that I have entered into a lifelong battle with the devil, but I also know that I am more than a conqueror. Greater is He that lives in me than he that lives in the world. I am an instrument of change in a corrupt world. I diffuse the aroma of Christ wherever I go today!

Reference: 1 Corinthians 9:25-26; Philippians 3:12, 14; 1 Timothy 1:18-20

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WHEN WEEDS SPRING UP

Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away’. Matthew 13:24 (NIV)

Jesus is telling a parable in Matthew 13 about a man who went out to his field and planted wheat in the ground. He sowed good seed. In another sense it shows the picture of a man who was doing the right thing, honoring God with his life and being good to others. But while he slept, an enemy came in and planted weeds.

The man didn’t know what had happened. He was expecting to have a great harvest; after all, he did all the right things. But the weeds sprang up among his wheat. Sometimes, things happen in life. Weeds spring up that we didn’t have anything to do with. The key is to keep the right attitude and keep focusing on the goodness of God. When these unexpected challenges happen, we can say, ‘It is just another weed. I didn’t sow it so I don’t have to reap it.’ Then we can keep the door open for God to move on our behalf.

Today, don’t let the weeds even take root. Don’t let discouragement creep in. Instead, lift up your eyes of faith to what your Father God can do for you. Keep believing, keep praying, and keep hoping because your harvest is on the way! When weeds begin to spring, trash it out by prayer and with the Word of God!

Confession

I consider the current challenges in my life as just another weed that I didn’t sow so I don’t have to reap. The circumstances cannot overwhelm me, but I soar above them. I shut the door to my heart from weeds of hurt, bitterness, discouragement and anguish and I open up to God!

Reference: Matthew 26:41; Luke 22:31-32; 1 Peter 5:8

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Friday, February 22, 2013

Blessing In Serving God Exclusively

Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Luke 6:22

The early believers faced persecution and threats of death with joy in their hearts. They served God with great delight and did not consider the implications in taking an exclusive stand for the Lord. Bible says that Jesus told the early Christians that they are blessed when men hate them, exclude them, insult them and reject them for His sake.

Beloved, to be hated, excluded, insulted and rejected is never pleasurable. But understand that the world and its systems will always be against you because they first rejected Christ. Your divine nature contradicts the systems of this world so you cannot afford to conform to the patterns of the world. The world will look at you with scorn and despise you because you have decided to serve the Lord exclusively. But never allow any of these to destabilize your faith because you know that in all these you are more than a conqueror.

The pain, affliction and persecution from the world are not worth comparing to the blessings we receive for living to for Jesus Christ. Romans 8:35 asks,“who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Decide today that no matter what you will encounter, you will live exclusively for the Lord. Refuse to compromise your faith because you are blessed for the sake of Christ.

Prayer

I thank You my Lord for this great day and for the opportunity to be a partaker of Your word. I pray to receive grace to rejoice even in the midst of adversity and walking in the consciousness that I am blessed if I am afflicted for your sake. Be glorified in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reference: Matthew 5:11; Romans 8:35-37; 1 Peter 4:14