Cgeneration devotional: Recent Episodes
Laitan
Word for Today:Numbers 9:23 ERV“So the people obeyed the Lord’s commands. They camped when the Lord told them to, and they moved when He told them to..”
Word for Today:Deuteronomy 1:6 MSGBack at Horeb, God, our God, spoke to us: “You’ve stayed long enough at this mountain. On your way now. Get moving..”
Word for Today:1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT “Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.”
Word for Today:Matthew 6:26 ERV“Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are?”
Word for Today:1 Kings 3:9 NLT “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.”
Word for Today:1 Chronicles 12:32 NLT“From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.”
Word for Today:Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”
Word for Today: 2 Samuel 2:1 MSG“After all this, David prayed. He asked God, “Shall I move to one of the cities of Judah?” God said, “Yes, move.” “And to which city?” “To Hebron.”
Word for Today:1 Samuel 30:8 AMPC“…The Lord answered him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
Word for Today:Psalm 121:1-2 ESV “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Word for Today:Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT says“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Word for Today:Isaiah 30:21 TPT “When you turn to the right or turn to the left, you will hear his voice behind you to guide you, saying, “This is the right path; follow it.”
Word for Today:Isaiah 46:10 NLT“Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.”
Word for Today:1 Samuel 16:7 NLT“…The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Word for Today:Philippians 4:19 NKJV“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Word for Today:Psalms 91:10-11 NKJV“No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.”
Word for Today:Isaiah 54:17 NKJV“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.”
Word for Today:Joshua 1:8 NKJV “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Word for Today:Deuteronomy 28:13 NLT“If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.”
Word for Today:Romans 8:14 NLT“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
Word for Today:Hebrews 1:1-2 NLT “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.”
Word for Today:Job 33:15 NLT says“He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds.”
Word for Today:Job 33:14 NLT“For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.”
Word for today:So Luke 1:35 NLT “The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”
Word for Today:Romans 10:17 NKJV “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Word for Today : Luke 11:28 NIV “..Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Word for Today:Exodus 3:4 ESV “..God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Habakkuk 2:1 ERV “I will stand like a guard and watch. I will wait to see what the Lord will say to me. I will wait and learn how he answers my questions.”
Luke 10:39-40 NLT“..Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.”
Word for Today : Isaiah 59: 2 TPT”..your sinful deeds have built a barrier between you and your God. Your sins have made God turn his face from you so that he does not hear your prayers.“
Matthew 13:15 NLT”For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’“
Jeremiah 33:3 ESV says “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.“
Word for Today: I Samuel 3:1 NKJV ”..And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.“
Word for Today: John 10:27 KJV “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:“
John 14:6 NIV“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“ One of the greatest benefits of walking with Jesus is that he leads us in one direction: to our Loving Heavenly Father.
John 15:5 NKJV”I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.“There is no way that we will walk diligently with Jesus and not be fruitful. Without Jesus we cannot bear good fruit.Please click bio for full audio
Hebrews 13:5 NIV ”Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”“One of the most comforting promises in the Bible is that God will never leave us or forsake us and this is one of the benefits of walking with Jesus.
1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT ”…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”Just as top organisations have great incentive packages for their employees, God has a mind blowing welfare package for those who walk with Jesus!Please click bio for full audio
John 12:35 NLT”…Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.“One of the great benefits of walking with Jesus is that we will not walk in darkness because Jesus Christ himself is light. Please click bio for full audio
Isaiah 8:13 NIV “The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.“Walking consistently with Jesus leads us to a place where we fear God only Please click link in bio for full audio
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV”And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.“In our walk with Jesus, even though we start off as regular people, we’re not meant to remain the same.
Luke 9:23 NKJV says “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.“What you’re willing to sacrifice shows the level you are in your walk with Jesus.
Psalms 118:6 NKJV”The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?“In your walk with Jesus, have you reached a stage where you can confidently make this statement?
Matthew 14:31 ESV”Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”“In our walk with Jesus, we often demonstrate fear, doubt and unbelief. But all these are symptoms of little faith!
Matthew 8:27 NLT”The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”“Knowing Jesus is a lifelong experience but what stage are you in your walk with him?
Psalms 119:18 NKJV”Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.“One of the things that characterised the disciples at the early stages of their walk with Jesus was their lack of understanding of the word of God and spiritual things.
Colossians 2:6-7 HCSB”Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.“When you start walking with Jesus, you are automatically enrolled on the Perfection Course and you will need to learn, do assignments and pass tests and exams, just as in any other course!
In Matthew 5:48 ESV, Jesus said ”You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.“We’re so used to the saying ‘nobody is perfect’ that it has become a mindset!But if Jesus is instructing us to be perfect, how are we expected to achieve it?Please click link in bio for full audio
Walking with Jesus is not all about fun and games, it’s not an easy walk but it’s definitely worth it!Matthew 7:14 NKJV says ”..narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.“Please click link in bio for full audio
A call to walk with Jesus is a call to fellowship. 1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV says“God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.“
Amos 3:3 NLTCan two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?What does walking with Jesus entail? It entails going in the same direction he’s headed.Please click bio for full audio
Matthew 4:19-20 NKJV”Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.“God calls us to walk with Him. But what does walking with God entail?
What is God’s expectation and what does He really want from us?Micah 6:8 NLT says”No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.“
Genesis 5:24 NKJV”And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.“ “Enoch walked with God and he was not” just like that! He just disappeared from this world, without dying and without the rapture taking place! How come??
Matthew 5:14 AMP”You are the light of Christ to the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;“For there to be a need for light, it means there must be darkness. And when the light isn’t shining, the whole place gets filled with darkness.
John 15:18 NKJV”“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.“Our values and way of doing things as believers should be very different from the way the people around us who are non-believers do things. For this reason, there’s bound to be persecution and this shouldn’t surprise us.
Jeremiah 17:5 ESV “Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.“When God gives you a vision, that vision cannot be achieved outside of God. You can’t do by your power or might, except by total dependence on God.
Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV”Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.“What’s God’s vision for your life in that place or position you’re in? God gave Nehemiah a burden, he identified God’s vision and he ran with it.
1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT”For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.“As believers, God gives us spiritual gifts that we are to use to demonstrate His power and bring glory to His name. We see this manifest in Daniel & Joseph’s lives.
Psalms 75:6-7 TPT ”This I know: the favor that brings promotion and power doesn’t come from anywhere on earth, for no one exalts a person but God, the true judge of all..”We all want to be promoted. But what kind of promotion should we be striving for and why?
Hebrews 10:36 NLT ”Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.“Patience and Perseverance are virtues that are no longer celebrated or coveted in our current generation but we need them to fulfil God’s vision for our lives!
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus said to his disciples : “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.“ Joseph learnt this lesson the hard way because of his naivety!
Daniel 6:10 NLT”But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.“When you have a lot of work to do or when you’re under pressure, what do you do? Learn from Daniel and Martin Luther what to do in such situations!
Daniel 6:26 NIV”I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.“God positioned Daniel in the king’s court to be a minister to the kings of Babylon and reveal God to them. Who is God sending you to minister to?
Daniel 6:5 NKJV”Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”“Daniel was a man who genuinely loved God and did everything to honour and please Him and he didn’t hide it! Everyone around him knew about his faith in God and what he stood for. What do the people around us know about us?For full audio please click link in bio
Daniel 2:49 NLT ”At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.“Daniel did not selfishly look out for just his own success in Babylon. He supported his friends, and it paid-off for all of them in the end!
Daniel 6:4 NIV”the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.“As believers in the marketplace, our integrity will always be tested. The question is: will we hold up like Daniel and no fault will be found in us or will we fall apart like a pack of cards?
Daniel 1:8 NLT ”But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.“Daniel was taking up a new role in a strange land, surrounded by people whose values were completely different from his own. However, he was wise enough to realise that he couldn’t afford to be careless. He had to be determined about the things that were important.
Romans 16:3-4 NKJV”Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.“Pricilla and Aquila were a powerful duo who through their hospitality advanced the gospel.
Acts 9:36 NIV”In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.“Tabitha had a reputation in the marketplace for doing good and helping the poor. What are you known for?
Luke 4:27 NKJV says “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”With all the Jewish lepers in Isreal at the time of Elisha, non of them was healed except Naaman, an idol worshipper from Syria! How did that happen??
2 Kings 5:3 NLT”I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.”“By solving the problem of her boss, a little servant girl led him to acknowledge the God of Israel as the only true God.
2 Corinthians 5:18 ESV”All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation“Good has given all of us believers the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ which means we are to bring people to God by leading them to accept Jesus Christ. And we don’t need to become a pastor in a church to fulfil this ministry. We can fulfil our ministry in the ‘marketplace’.
Exodus 34:29 AMP”When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hand, he did not know that the skin of his face was shining with a unique radiance because he had been speaking with God.“Spending quality time in God’s presence transforms us in a way that the ordinary human mind cannot comprehend!
Exodus 19:10 NLT”Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing.“For God’s presence not to be hindered, God requires consecration from us.
2 Samuel 6:11 NLT “The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.“In 2 Samuel 6:7, God struck Uzzah dead because of the way he handled the Ark of God. But the same God blessed Obed-Edom and his household because of the same Ark! Why did God respond so differently to Uzzah and Obed-Edom?
Ephesians 4:30 NKJV says”And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.“The word ‘grieve’ in this verse means “to cause to feel sorrow, pain, sadness, unhappiness, or to ‘break his heart’. So in what ways do we grieve the Holy Spirit?
Revelation 3:1-2 ERV”..People say that you are alive, but really you are dead. Wake up! Make yourselves stronger before what little strength you have left is completely gone. I find that what you do is not good enough for my God.“This was God’s verdict concerning the church in Sardis but can this also be God’s verdict concerning you?
As New Testament believers the bible tells us that God’s presence is on the inside of us through the Holy Spirit. The way we respond to the Holy Spirit will determine how active God’s presence is.1 Thessalonians 5:19 AMP says:”Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.“
John 15:5 NKJV”I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.“Without God’s presence, we cannot bear the right fruit and we can do nothing. When God’s presence is lost, purpose is lost!
Joshua 1:5 AMP ”No man will be able to stand before you to oppose you as long as you live. Just as I was present with Moses, so will I be with you; I will not fail you or abandon you.“The one thing that made Isreal special, spectacular and separate from all other nations that we read about in the bible is the presence of God. With the presence of God came God’s glory which was their ‘S factor’.
1 John 5:18 NLT”We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.“One of the grave dangers of losing God’s presence is that our spiritual covering is removed and we become spiritually exposed.
1 Samuel 4:22 ESV”And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”“A lot of things go terribly wrong when God’s presence departs. The story of Eli and his sons is a great example.
1 Samuel 15:22 NLT”..What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.“Saul was a king that had a problem with obeying God’s instructions and it robbed him of God’s presence.
Judges 16:20 NLT”Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.“Samson was born a Nazirite which means that he was set apart and consecrated to God. God’s presence was with Samson but he took it for granted until God’s presence left him.
Joshua 7:12 ERV”..I will not continue to help you or be with you unless you destroy everything I commanded you to destroy.“The ultimate experience that anyone can have is to have God’s presence while the worst is for God’s presence to be absent. What happens when God’s presence departs?
Psalms 16:11 NKJV ”You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.“We find joy, divine provision and so many amazing benefits when we stand and abide in God’s presence!
Isaiah 43:2 NKJV”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.“God’s protection is guaranteed for those who dwell in His presence, even when they go through fire!
Deuteronomy 20:3-4 NLT”..Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them. For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’“When God’s presence is with you, God will fight your battles for you, both seen and unseen.
Psalms 84:4 AMP”Blessed and greatly favored are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence..”When you carry God’s presence, you will find favour and you will be highly sought after. It doesn’t matter where you are or which country you live in, people will come looking for you, just like they looked for Joseph and David.
“The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.“Genesis 39:2 NKJVHow can someone who is a slave be called a successful man? The words ‘slave’ and ‘success’ are two words that just don’t go together. Yet, Joseph was successful even though he was a slave.
Exodus 33:16 “… it is in Your going with us that we are distinguished, I and Your people, from all the other people upon the face of the earth”If we look at the lives of different people in the bible who had God’s presence with them, there was always something that distinguished them or separated them from other people around them. When Abraham moved to live in Gerar in the land of the Philistines, there was something that distinguished him from other people and King Abimelech had no choice but to notice it!
Exodus 33:15 “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.“God instructed Moses to lead the Israelites out to the promised land but He (God) wasn’t going to go with them. Guess what? Moses refused!
As Christians we all know the importance of getting saved. But after we get saved then what? Is getting saved the only thing in God’s redemption program for us?2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV says “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
How can we serve God with a perfect heart?In I Chronicles 28:9 NKJV, David was advising his son Solomon on how to serve God and he said “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”
When God wants to assess a person for any purpose at all, God looks at the heart.1 Samuel 16:6-7 NLT says“…The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
If Jesus were to judge us today based on what we’ve done this year, will we receive a pass mark or will we fail woefully? 1 Corinthians 11:31 AMP says “But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged.”
Acts 17:31 HCSB“because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”Somehow, most of us Christians think of Jesus only as our Lord and Saviour. But one day, the role of Jesus is going to transition from that of being our saviour to being our judge.
Have you ever wondered to yourself whether it's actually worth it—living right as a Christian, staying committed to Jesus, and serving God? What's really in it for you anyway? Peter expressed a similar concern to Jesus in Matthew chapter 19.Matthew 19:27 TPT says“Then Peter blurted out, “Here we are. We’ve given up everything to follow you. What reward will there be for us?””
II Timothy 4:8 NKJV“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”Apostle Paul, even though he started off as a persecutor of the church, turned out to become one of the greatest and definitely the most effective and successful apostle of Jesus Christ. What motivated Paul to achieve so much, despite all the trials and challenges that he faced?
Leaders in the church and people who are leading and disciplining others for Christ have a reward in heaven, if they lead according to God’s standards.1 Peter 5:2-4 NIV says“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not Lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
Whenever you’re mistreated because of your Christian values and your faith in Jesus, don’t get angry or bitter, instead, rejoice!Matthew 5:10-12 NIV says“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Our work is going to be judged based on our faithfulness. So is Jesus going to find us faithful or unfaithful? Matthew 24:45-46 GNT says “Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant? It is the one that his master has placed in charge of the other servants to give them their food at the proper time. How happy that servant is if his master finds him doing this when he comes home!”
Many people believe that the people who work the hardest and who do mighty miracles, signs and wonders will get the biggest reward from God. However, 1 Corinthians 13:2-3 NLT says “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”
1 Corinthians 3:13 NLT says“But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.”One of the ways that your work for God will be tested to determine whether it has any value is through your motives. So what are your motives for serving God?
1 John 2:28 TPT says“And now, dear children, remain in him, so that when he is revealed we may have joyful confidence and not be ashamed when we stand before him at his appearing.”One of the things that can make us ashamed at the coming of Jesus is not being prepared with ‘extra oil’.
2 Corinthians 5:10, the Amplified Bible Version explains what will happen at the Bema Seat. It says: “For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].”
Revelation 20:12 AMP“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged according to what they had done as written in the books [that is, everything done while on earth].”What happens at the white throne judgement and do we have any reason to worry or be afraid of it?
Matthew 25:32 NLT“All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”On judgement day, there is going to be a separate of good from evil.
John 3:18-19 NKJV“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”The choice we make here on earth will form a basis for God’s eternal judgment. So choose wisely!Photo credit: Bible App
1 Corinthians 15:13-14 NLT“For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.”Why is the resurrection of the dead so fundamental to our faith as Christians?
In John 5:28-29 NKJV, Jesus said “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”What happens after death is dependent on our choices here on earth.
Luke 24:5-6 NLT“..Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!..”Luke chapter 24 gives us a detailed account of the resurrection of Jesus. So what can we from it?
In Colossians 1:18 NKJV, Paul was testifying about Jesus and he said:“..He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”Revelation 1:5 NKJV also says “…Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth…”By Jesus Christ’s resurrection, he alone is the undisputed saviour with the title ‘The Firstborn from the Dead’. Hallelujah 🙌🏽
Romans 5:12 NLT“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”Sin came with some really nasty consequences which we all have to come to terms with. However, God has a plan.
We need to be careful and exercise some caution where the laying on of hands is concerned.1 Timothy 5:22 ESV says“Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.”
Acts 13:2-3 NKJV “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.”Laying on of hands can be used as a means to commission people for leadership or service.
Mark 16:17-18 NKJV“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.””These signs are to follow anyone who believes!
Matthew 19:15 NLT“And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.”Laying on of hands can be used to impart blessings and we can see examples of this both in the Old and in the New Testament.
What is the laying on of hands about and why is it important enough to earn a place as one of the foundational doctrines? What spiritual purpose does it serve? One of the purposes we can see from the Bible is ‘impartation’.Acts 8:17 NLT says “Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 11:13 NLT “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”Jesus promised to give us the gift of the Holy Spirit so how do we receive this precious gift?
Matthew 7:16 TPT“You can spot them by their actions, for the fruits of their character will be obvious...”When we’ve been baptised with the Holy Spirit and we allow the Holy Spirit to take charge of our lives, there are two manifestations that we should expect to see. One is the fruit and the other are the gifts.
Why do we still struggle so much with sin, even after we have accepted Jesus into our lives?Galatians 5:16 NLT says“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
John 14:26 NKJV“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”As believers each one of us has access to a personal helper who knows all things, past, present and future and who can teach us everything that we need to know. Wow!
How was Jesus able to fulfil his purpose on earth and achieve all that he did?Acts 10:38 NKJV says“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
Why do we speak in tongues? Does it add any value to us spiritually?I Corinthians 14:2 NKJV says “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.”
Acts 2:4 NKJV“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”There are different dimensions of speaking in tongues. Today let’s look at speaking with other tongues.
Acts 1:8 NKJV“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””One benefit of the baptism of the Holy Spirit for us as Christians is that we will receive power. But power to do what exactly?
John 1:33 NLT“The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is something that a lot of people find it difficult to understand so let’s take a look at a couple of points to note regarding it.
Acts 2:17 NKJV“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…”God gave a prophecy through Prophet Joel that a time would come when He would pour out His spirit on all flesh which means every believer would have access to the Holy Sprit, and not just a select few as it was in the Old Testament.
Ephesians 4:5-6 NLT says“There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”Today we look at more questions about Baptism.
Acts 8:36-37 NKJV“…And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”I believe that one possible reason why some Christians delay being baptised is because they feel they are not spiritual enough or holy enough. So the question today is “when is the right time to get baptised as a Christian?”
Matthew 28:19 NKJV“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”Some Christians are not baptised because they don’t understand why they need to do so, while some are baptised without understanding why they did it! So let’s take a look at the importance of baptism.
Romans 6:3-5 MSG “That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus...”Today let’s look at some of the frequently asked questions about water baptism.
Acts 2:38 NKJV says “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…”Even though we must have heard about Water Baptism, not many people understand its significance. So is water baptism of any use to me as a Christian?
Proverbs 24:10 NKJV says “If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.” ‘Strength’ here is not about our physical strength but about our inner strength. And our inner strength is dependent on our level of faith. So how can we grow our faith so that we don’t buckle under pressure?
Matthew 8:10 NKJV“When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”How could the Centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 and the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28 who didn’t have any close contact with Jesus have such great faith, meanwhile, Peter and the other disciples who spent all their time with Jesus had little faith?
Matthew 14:31 NKJV“And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?””How can we know if our faith is little?
Faith is an action word. James 2:14 NLT says “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”If we say we have Faith in God, it must be demonstrated by our actions and in the way we live our lives everyday.
Romans 10:17 NKJV says “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” There is absolutely no way we can have Faith without the Word of God because it is the Word that reveals God to us. The more knowledge of the Word we have, the more knowledge of God we have, and our knowledge of God affects the level of our faith toward God. How do you think Abraham was able to have the faith to receive the promise?
Hebrews 12:2 NIV says “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith..” What we focus on will determine whether we walk by faith or by sight. A typical example is the experience of Peter in Matthew 14:23-31.
Luke 5:4-5 NKJV“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.””On the surface, asking anyone to “walk by faith, not by sight” sounds quite unintelligent. It sounds like a blind leap in the dark, but is it really?
Hebrews 6:13-15 NLT“For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.” Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.”To walk in faith, we need to understand the basis of our faith. So what should our faith be based on as God’s children?
2 Corinthians 5:7 says “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” This bible verse depicts two lifestyles: the lifestyle of ‘Faith’ and the lifestyle of ‘Sight’. “Walking by sight" means living our lives based solely on what we can see and understand with our physical senses and the Bible clearly warns us not to live our lives walking by sight. Why?
Hebrews 10:38 NKJV “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.””People erroneously think that ‘to believe’ and to ‘have faith’ are the same thing and people even use them interchangeably, but they don’t mean the same thing. The bible says ‘the just shall live by faith’ and not the ‘just shall live by believing’. So what’s the difference and why is this so important to us as Christians?
The same way we that we as individuals sin against God and we need to repent, a group of people can also sin and need repentance. But people within that group must take responsibility and repent.2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV says “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Genesis 4:6-7 NLT“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”The way we respond to God’s chastisement and the consequences of our sins will show whether we are repentant or not!
One of the reasons why Saul disobeyed, sinned against God and was unrepentant was because he was afraid of his people. In 1 Samuel 15:24 GNT the bible says “Yes, I have sinned,” Saul replied. “I disobeyed the Lord's command and your instructions. I was afraid of my men and did what they wanted.”
Does this sound familiar? Are you a victim of people-pleasing?
If you are familiar with the story of the kings of Isreal, you’ll know that Saul was the very first king of Isreal and he had all the potential to become a great and successful king. Unfortunately he did not attain his full potential and God rejected Saul from being king and replaced him with David. But why did God replace Saul with David? How come David was forgiven for his sins but Saul was rejected?
When we sin against God and all we’re focused on doing is hiding our sin, it shows that we’re not repentant and we can see how this played out in the life of David. Proverbs 28:13 NKJV says “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
Genesis 3:11-13 NIV “And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”” Adam & Eve sinned against God, but when God spoke to them about it, they chose to play the blame game!
Hebrews 12:16-17 NLT says “Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.” Esau traded off his birthright to his brother Jacob. When he realised what he had done, he wept and begged to get it back. But was Esau truly repentant?
“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate..” Joel 2:13 NLT
Because we carry out certain actions or rituals that are associated with repentance doesn’t mean that we have repented. So what are some of those things that we do that make us feel like we have repented when we really haven’t?
Throughout the bible from the Old Testament to the New, there is a consistent call for repentance. In Joel 2:12-13 NKJV, God was making a call for the Israelites to repent and it says “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.” So what is true repentance?
In Luke 5:32 NKJV, Jesus said “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” So the first call of Jesus for sinners is repentance. So what is repentance all about?
1 Corinthians 1:25 NIV says “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” Even though it’s absolutely impossible for God to be foolish, even in our wildest imagination, whatever can be termed as the foolishness of God is still a 100% wiser than human or worldly wisdom!
Proverbs 3:19 - 20 NLT says “By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens. By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky.”
If God operates through wisdom and created our amazing world through wisdom, it would be foolish for us his children to try to do otherwise.
Live your best life
Proverbs 3:13-17 NLT “Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying.”
Wisdom gives success
Ecclesiastes 10:10 NLT “Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.”
Ecclesiastes 7:12 ESV “For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.”
1 Kings 4:29 NLT “God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.” Solomon’s life was such a big irony because even though he was the wisest man, at some point in his life he became the most foolish. So how did Solomon go from being wise to becoming foolish?
Who is a fool according to the bible?
Proverbs 29:11 ERV says “Fools are quick to express their anger, but wise people are patient and control themselves.”
Who is a fool according to the bible?
Proverbs 15:5 NLT says “Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.”
Who is a fool according to the bible? Proverbs 26:12 NKJV says “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
Who is a fool according to the bible?
Luke 12:20 NLT ““But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’”
Who is a fool according to the bible?
Psalms 14:1 NLT says “Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!”
Psalms 19:7 CEV says ‘’The Law of the Lord is perfect; it gives us new life. His teachings last forever, and they give wisdom to ordinary people.”
The bible is filled with every wisdom that you and I need to live godly and successful lives. Stop looking for wisdom in the wrong place!
Job 12:12 NLT says “Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.”
Despite all his accomplishments, Moses still needed to learn godly wisdom and be mentored by someone who was older, more experienced and who had a relationship with God. No matter who we are and what we’ve accomplished, we need to humble ourselves and learn godly wisdom from the mentors that God has planted in our lives.
Proverbs 9:10 NKJV says ““The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
For us to operate in godly wisdom, we need to have the fear of God. So what does the fear of the Lord look like and how how can having the fear of the Lord give us wisdom?
As believers, we can’t live successfully in this world without godly wisdom. So the big question today is ‘how can we get godly wisdom’? God is the source of wisdom. James 1:5 NKJV says ‘’If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
James 3:17 NKJV “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
Godly wisdom is the right application of knowledge in line with the values and principles of the word of God. Today let’s look at the characteristics of godly wisdom.
Jeremiah 12:1 NLT “Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. So let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy?”
Several times I’ve heard Christians question why people who are not born again or who don’t know God are very successful, the same way Jeremiah complained. So what wisdom is required to be successful in our world?
Luke 16:8 KJV “And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”
When our backs are up against the wall and no one is watching, which wisdom do we choose to apply?
James 3:14-15 NLT “But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.” What type of wisdom do you possess? You may be shocked and surprised at the reality when you listen to today’s devotional!
Proverbs 24:3-4 NKJV “Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.”
If we study the book of Proverbs, we’ll notice that Wisdom usually doesn’t walk alone but it’s usually with its two brothers, ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Understanding’. So in order to understand Wisdom, it’s important to understand knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 16:16 NKJV says “How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”
If Solomon, often tagged as the wisest and wealthiest man that ever lived is telling us that wisdom is more valuable than material wealth, and his advice to us is to desire wisdom above material things, then there is something that he knows that we need to learn!
John 20:1 NLT “Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.” Mary Magdalene was an amazing woman who made a huge impact in the life of Jesus Christ and his ministry. So what lessons can we learn from this great woman of faith?
Anna was a widow who was married for only 7years before her husband died and even though she was still very young when her husband died, she never remarried. Instead she remained a widow till she was 84years and she focused her complete attention on worshiping God with prayer and fasting! What lessons can we learn from this great woman of faith?
In Luke 21:1-4, the bible tells the story of a poor widow who gave only two copper coins as a gift to God but Jesus said this widow gave more than all the rich people that gave offerings to God that day! Why did Jesus say this and what lessons can we learn about giving from this poor widow?
Naomi was a great woman of faith who continued to trust God in the face of adversity and tragedy. What lessons can we learn from her?
1 Samuel 25:24 NLT “She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my Lord. Please listen to what I have to say.”
Abigail was a woman of great wisdom and humility and by her wisdom she averted a disaster from befalling her family.
2 Kings 5:3 NLT “One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.””
This little servant girl shared her faith with boldness and transformed Naaman’s life completely. So what lessons can we learn from her?
Judges 5:6-7 NIV says ““In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths. Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.”
What makes Deborah spectacular and what lessons can we learn from her life?
Matthew 20:21 NKJV “And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”” Mrs Zebedee would stop at nothing to get the best for her sons. What a mum!
Acts 16:2-3 TPT “Timothy was well known and highly respected among all the believers of Lystra and Iconium. Paul recognized God’s favor on Timothy’s life and wanted him to accompany them in ministry...” Timothy was Paul’s protege and at the time Paul met him, he was still young and probably still a teenager. Yet Timothy was well known and highly respected among the believers. What could have produced this kind of faith in Timothy?
Out of her own need and pain, Hannah positioned herself to meet the need that was uppermost in God’s mind by giving up what was most precious to her. How many people can do what she did?
Hebrews 11:24-26 NIV says “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”
What could have produced this kind of value system in Moses? What could have given him the desire to identify with God and His people despite growing up amongst idol worshippers and the high and mighty of Egypt?
At a time when all baby boys were being killed, one mother stood her ground in faith and against all odds, preserved the life of her own child.
In Luke 4:25-26 NLT Jesus said: ““Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon.”
What was it about the widow Zarephath that Jesus had to commend her?
The great Prophet Elijah had a woman who God positioned in his life to support his ministry and help him fulfil purpose. Even though we don’t know her name, she is referred to as the widow of Zarephath in the Bible. So what lessons can we learn from her story?
Hebrews 11:35 NLT “Women received their loved ones back again from death..”
The Shunamite woman must have been one of the great women of faith referred to in Hebrews 11 Vs 35. So what lessons can we learn from her?
In 2 Kings chapter 4, the bible tells us the story of a very remarkable woman. And even though her name is not known or mentioned, the bible refers to her as the Shunamite woman because she lived in a town called Shunem. So what is spectacular about this woman?
Hebrews 11:31 AMP says “By faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies [sent by the sons of Israel] in peace.” Who was Rahab and how could someone who was referred to as a ‘prostitute’ be included in the roll call of faith?
Ephesians 6:17-18 NLT “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Paul says we should put on the helmet of salvation. What does that mean and how does this armour protect us from the enemy? How can we fight with the sword of the spirit?
Ephesians 6:15-16 NLT “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.”
When thinking about a soldier’s armour, hardly would anyone actually think about their shoes! This is because we’re too busy thinking about the armour that we think are more important like the sword, shield, breastplate and so on. How about the shield? Why do we need these two in our battle?
Ephesians 6:14 NKJV “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,”
Soldiers wear a breastplate or a bulletproof vest because it protects one of the most vital organs of the body which is the heart. If a soldier does not wear his breastplate or bulletproof vest, he is prone to a fatal attack because a wound to the heart is instant death! So, why does Paul call this piece of armour the breastplate of righteousness?
Ephesians 6:14 NLT “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth...”
The belt of truth holds up our spiritual pants so that we're not vulnerable and fall for lies.
Revelation 12:11 NKJV“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...”What does this mean and how can we overcome the enemy by the word of our testimony?
The blood of Jesus is a weapon that we as believers have against our accuser, the devil. Revelation 12:10-11 NKJV says“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
As powerful as the name of Jesus is, with the ability to move and change things both in heaven and on earth, it is not every random person that uses the name of Jesus that will achieve results. The seven sons of Sceva tried to use the name of Jesus and received the greatest shock of their lives!
As believers, we have access to very powerful weapons that are not physical or human which we can use to destroy the enemy’s strongholds. So what are these weapons that we have at our disposal to successfully and effectively fight our battles?
1 Peter 5:8 NLT says“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”Our great enemy as believers is the devil and in one of our devotionals this month, we actually named him public enemy number one! For us to effectively fight against him we need to know who he is. So what is the devil’s nature or what are his characteristics?
In Mathew 4 Vs 1-11, the devil waged a war against Jesus through different temptations but Jesus fought the battle against the devil and won using the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God.The devil fought a similar battle against Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 3. Why did they lose their battle?
Ephesians 6 Vs 17 refers to the Word of God as ‘the sword of the spirit’. We know what a sword is used for. It is used to attack and fight against an enemy. Jesus taught us how to fight in Mathew 4 vs 1-11.
In Mathew chapter 17, an interesting incident happened. A man brought his son to the disciples of Jesus Christ for them to heal him of his disease but they couldn’t! How did that happen? What could possibly have gone wrong?
In Jonah chapter 1 Vs 1-2, God called Jonah and sent him to tell the people of Nineveh that they were going to be destroyed because of their wicked and sinful ways. But what did the people of Nineveh do to reverse this verdict?
2 Kings 20:1 NIV“In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.””King Hezekiah was terminally ill and he had received a message from God that he wasn’t going to recover, he was going to die! But what did Hezekiah do?
Luke 22:31 TPT““Peter, my dear friend, listen to what I’m about to tell you. Satan has obtained permission to come and sift you all like wheat and test your faith.”Jesus warned Peter that Satan had plans to try him. But what could Peter have done? Did he stand a chance?
There are evil forces in the spirit realm who are constantly waging war against us. Ephesians 6:12 NKJV gives us a summary of these evil forces in the spirit realm. It says: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” However as believers, we have no reason to be afraid of them.
The ringleader of the forces of evil is Satan, and from the bible we see satan being called other names like the devil or Lucifer and he is identified as the ‘serpent’ in the book of Genesis and the ‘dragon’ in the book of Revelation.But who really is Satan?
The bible makes several references to angels and their interactions with several people. But who or what are angels? Are they important to us in anyway?Hebrews 1:14 NIV says“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
God created the heavens, the earth and everything in between. Nothing exists outside God, regardless of whether it is in the spirit realm or in the natural world that we live in. The same way that everyone and everything in the natural realm was created by God Almighty, every being in the spirit realm was also created by God, regardless of whether they are good or evil.
Genesis 1:27 AMPC says“So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. What does it mean to be created in the image and likeness of God? Does it mean that we have physical attributes that make us look like God or what exactly does this bible verse mean?
Cornelius was a Roman official who even though he wasn’t a Jew, he caught God’s attention and triggered off positive responses for himself and his family because of his lifestyle.
Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon was the greatest and most powerful king of his time. God gave him the power to conquer and take over nations and he built a mighty empire for himself. But when he became proud and arrogant, he triggered off negative consequences
Mary was a normal teenager or young adult who had her dreams and aspirations with her whole life ahead of her. But her life was altered from the spirit realm so that God’s purpose would be fulfilled on earth for the benefit of all mankind.
In Job 1:6-12, Job lost his family, his health and all his wealth in a very short space of time. If Job was living in today’s world, all his misfortunes would have been attributed to terrorists, armed bandits, building collapse, stock market crash, cancer etc. But what was really behind Job’s misfortunes?
This world we live in is not only made up of the natural realm that we can see, touch, taste, feel and smell but there is another realm which is the spiritual realm. The natural and the spiritual realm interact with one another and influence each other on a daily basis and we need to understand how the two work together and how their interactions affect our lives.
Jesus was an extremely diligent person and there was no lazy bone in him. If we study the routine of Jesus, we’ll see that he had an extremely tight schedule.Jesus was up from very early in the morning and he would work all through the day and into the night. Yet he managed to make time for everything and everyone that was important to him and above all, he fulfilled his assignment and did the will of his Heavenly Father.What excuse do we have for not living a life of diligence?
Job 36:11 NIV“If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.”The bible encourages us as God’s children to be diligent in our service to God. So what does diligent service look like? Let’s take a look at the life of Paul.
Deuteronomy 6:17 NLT “You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you.”Diligently obeying God comes with a lot of benefits but on the flip side, not diligently obeying God has consequences. So what lessons can we learn from Moses about diligence in obeying God?
Mark 1:35 AMP “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there.”Jesus diligently prayed, not only early in the morning or late in the evening, but he prayed all the time, every opportunity he got! Prayer for Jesus wasn’t mechanical or done out of duty but his diligence was borne out of an urgent, fervent desire to be in constant fellowship and communion with his Heavenly Father.
Luke 18:1-3 MSG“Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit.The word “diligence” where prayer is concerned means consistency, persistence, commitment, devotion, alertness, focus, urgency, fervency etc.So what lessons can we learn from the widow who diligently petitioned the judge in the parable Jesus taught in Luke 18: 1-8?
Acts 10:4 EASY“Cornelius looked at the angel and he was afraid. He asked, ‘Master, why have you come to me?’ The angel answered, ‘God has heard your prayers. He knows about all the money that you give to poor people. This has pleased him. Now God is answering your prayers.”Cornelius was a Roman military officer, so he was a gentile, he wasn’t a Jew, yet he was able to catch God’s attention! How did he achieve this and what lessons can we learn from Cornelius?
Proverbs 8:17 NKJV says“I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.”To find God we require diligence which means that if we seek God any other way, we can never find Him. Many Christians are seeking God but very few are seeking God diligently. So what does it mean to seek God diligently? We can learn some lessons from David who is identified as a man after God’s heart.
Exodus 31:4-5 NLT“He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!”Talent is not enough. What you do with the gifts, skills, talents and opportunities that God has blessed you with is what sets you apart!
Genesis 39:6 AMP“So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s charge; and with Joseph there he did not need to pay attention to anything except the food he ate..”There were many other people that were slaves and servants at the same time with Joseph. But what made Joseph stand out and go from being a slave to becoming the second in command to the king?
Colossians 3:23 TPT“Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others.” As Christians or believers, diligence is meant to be our default response to every task. The bible teaches us a lesson on diligence from the most unlikely source, the ant. So what can we learn?
1 Timothy 6:1 TPT“Instruct every employee to respect and honor their employers, for this attitude presents to them a clear testimony of God’s truth and renown. Tell them to never provide them with a reason to discredit God’s name because of their actions.”As Christians we are representatives of Christ in our organisations and we are to honour our employers. But is this what we do in reality?
1 Timothy 5:17-18 NIV “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”Thank God for spiritual leaders who have taught us the word and have helped us to grow in our relationship and our walk with God. Such leaders are deserving of honour. So how can we honour them?
Romans 13:1 NLT “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.”As followers and citizens, it’s our responsibility to choose the right leaders because once people are in positions of authority, we have no choice but to honour and obey them.
Ephesians 5:33 NLT says“So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”Husbands and wives have a responsibility to honour each other. A lot of marriages are failing and breaking up because the parties involved are not honouring each other the way that God designed. So what does it mean for husbands to honour their wives and for wives to honour their husbands?
How do we treat the elderly and older people in our community and around us?Leviticus 19:32 MSG says ““Show respect to the aged; honor the presence of an elder; fear your God. I am God.”
1 Timothy 5:8 NLT says “But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.”Our Christianity is of little value if we don’t honour, respect and care for our parents.
Ephesians 6:1-2 NKJV says“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:”The verse says obey your parents in the Lord and honour your father & mother. How can we apply this?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”God created our body, Jesus paid for it, and the Holy Spirit lives inside it. Our body is a temple and not just a house so we must be careful how we treat it and use it.
Isaiah 58:13-14 MSG““If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God’s holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’ making money, running here and there— Then you’ll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all. I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.” Yes! God says so!”
Are we honouring God with our finances and the material things that He’s blessed us with? We saw during last week’s devotional that Cain offered a sacrifice that was rejected by God which means that God doesn’t accept everything that we give to Him. So how can we ensure that what we give is honourable to God?
Isaiah 29:13 NIV“The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”No matter how much we sing, pray, serve and say we that we honour God, if it doesn’t come genuinely from our hearts, it’s not honour.
In 1 Samuel 2 Vs 30, God established a law regarding honour. He said ….I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.”
Romans 13:7 NKJV“Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”
Luke 6:37 NLT““Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”God has given us His law about forgiveness and He has commanded us to forgive others the same way we have been forgiven. But how do you actually perceive forgiveness? Do you think you’re doing people a favour by forgiving them?
When someone offends us, should we just swallow it and act like we’re not hurt and everything is okay because God has commanded us to forgive? Luke 17:3 EASY says“Be careful how you live. If your Christian brother does something wrong, speak to him. Tell him that he has done a bad thing. He may say, “I am sorry for what I did. I will not do it again.” If he says that, you must forgive him.”
How many times should we forgive people particularly when they keep committing the same offence against us?
The Bible teaches us that forgiveness brings healing and restoration. Even Psychologists and medical researchers have proven that unforgiveness and bitterness can cause stress in our bodies that can lead to very severe diseases like high blood pressure, migraines, ulcers, cancers, depression and so on. So the big question is ‘is unforgiveness really worth all the trouble?’.
When we refuse to forgive others, we are hurting ourselves much more than the people we’re holding in unforgiveness. This is because if we don’t forgive, we can’t receive any forgiveness from God and that’s a terrible place to be!
Colossians 3:13 NLT “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”If Jesus could forgive all the evil and injustice done to him, who are we not to forgive?
1 Corinthians 13:3 NLT“If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”Anything that we do or any service that we render to God or to people without love is useless!
1 John 4:7-8 NKJV “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”Anyone that does not know God does not have the capacity to love. Period!
Romans 13:8 TPT “Don’t owe anything to anyone, except your outstanding debt to continually love one another, for the one who learns to love has fulfilled every requirement of the law.”Love is a debt and an obligation so pay it forward!
Today people all over the world are celebrating Valentine’s Day and people are going to go all out to buy flowers and gifts and send all kinds of lovey dovey messages to celebrate and profess their love for one another. But the question is ‘how genuine is the love they’re professing? And does the love that they claim to have follow the principles of love as stated in the Bible?
This is a very important question to ask because it is only when we understand this that we can align ourselves with our seasons and maximise God’s purpose for each season.
In Psalms 73, David narrated his experience about how he saw people sowing evil seeds and yet they were prospering and he just couldn’t get it because he was living a pure and disciplined life, yet he felt like he was suffering for living right! If you’ve ever felt the same way David felt in Psalm 73, you need to understand the principle of seasonality.
John 4:37-38 GNT “For the saying is true, ‘Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work.””
Galatians 6:7 NKJV“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”From Jacob in the Old Testament to Apostle Paul in the New Testament, the principles of the law of sowing and reaping are in operation so never underestimate this law and start sowing the right seeds today!
The law follows the principle of multiplication. If you sow good seeds you will reap a lot more good than you sowed and if you sow bad seeds you will reap a lot more evil than you ever bargained for!
Galatians 6:7 NKJV says“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”Unfortunately many Christians are deceived into thinking that they can sow orange seeds and harvest corn! We are deluded into believing that we can sow any kind of seed we like then pray for the harvest that we want!
Imagine a world where there was no law, what do you think it would be like? It definitely would be crazy and chaotic because everyone would do whatever they liked, including steal, kill and destroy themselves, because there was no law to prevent them from do so.So God’s law exists to protect us and preserve our lives.
The same way that natural laws like the Law of Gravity, remains fixed, whether we are aware of them or not, spiritual laws exist and will continue to remain in operation, whether we like them or not.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 CEV“Memorize his laws and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you're at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning.”
God made the world to be governed by laws. Every thing in the whole of creation is ruled by a law or a group of laws that work together to keep everything working on auto-pilot. Genesis 8:22 NKJV says““While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.””The same way we have natural laws there are spiritual laws that enable us to predict our future.
Exodus 33:15 NLT“Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.”Like Moses did, everyday you wake up in 2023, tell Jesus you’re not going to go through that day without him personally going with you.
The bible warns us not to be in any intimate partnership with people who don’t share the same faith or spiritual values as we do in order to protect us.
Marriage is one of the most important partnerships that we will ever go into and it’s the one we have to be the most careful about because it can make or mar our future and destiny. Amos 3:3 NKJV says“Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”
How do you choose people to partner with? Do you choose people as partners simply because they are your friends or they’re smart, good looking or wealthy?Genesis 39:5 NLT says“From the day Joseph was put in charge of Potiphar’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”This is the essence of partnerships!
Leviticus 26:8 GNT says “five of you will be able to defeat a hundred, and a hundred will be able to defeat ten thousand.”Having the right partners will help multiply the positive results that we achieve in mind blowing proportions.
A lot of Christians are struggling because they don’t have a spiritual support system.Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT says “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…”
Exodus 18:17-19 AMP“Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you [to bear]; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me; I will advise you, and may God be with you [to confirm my advice]..”When you need advice, go to people who have experience and who are experts in the area you need advice on and you can be sure that they will give you wise advice.
Acts 27:9-10 NKJV“…Paul advised them, saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.””When anyone is advising you, ask yourself ‘what is the source or the basis of the advice they’re giving you?’.
Another category of people that you should have in your company this year to help you grow and succeed are ‘wise advisers’. Note that I didn’t just mention ‘advisers’ because anyone can give advice. I mentioned ‘wise advisers.Proverbs 15:22 TPT says “Your plans will fall apart right in front of you if you fail to get good advice. But if you first seek out multiple counselors, you’ll watch your plans succeed.”
In some unique seasons of our lives we may need mentors to help us like Mary needed Elizabeth during a particular season. Also, God Himself instituted a mentorship model through families. In 2 Timothy 1:5 NLT, Paul said to Timothy “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.”
2 Chronicles 29:2 GNT“Following the example of his ancestor King David, he did what was pleasing to the Lord.”We can take advantage of unintentional mentorship by identifying spiritual role models and learning from them and following their footsteps even when they are not aware.
In Acts 16:1-3, Paul saw a young man named Timothy and decided to mentor him. So Paul took Timothy along with him on his missionary journeys and trained him to become a missionary and a great Church leader and minister of the Gospel.
While it’s extremely important for us to get to know God by ourselves and have a personal relationship with Him, spiritual mentors are important because they help us to grow faster than if we were to try to do it all by ourselves.
For us to grow this year, we must be very careful about our company or the people that we choose to allow into our inner circle. Proverbs 13:20 MSG says“Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.”
Philippians 4:9 NIV“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice..”If you want to grow spiritually this year, then it’s time to start practicing the Word and start serving God and serving others.
1 Peter 2:2 TPT “In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word. For this “milk” will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life”
You want spiritual growth? What are you going to do about it? What is it going to cost you? Luke 14:28-30 MSG says ““Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’”
God wants us to go into deeper things from His word so that we can grow and become more mature in our knowledge of Him and in our lives as Christians. So let’s make up our minds to grow spiritually and leave childishness behind!
God our Heavenly Father loves us so much and has invested heavily in you and I, just to ensure that we don’t perish but that we have eternal life through the gift of Jesus Christ. This is definitely a great reason to celebrate Christmas!
If God were to judge us appropriately for our sin, the whole of humanity should have perished and we should all have been completely destroyed. But thank God for Jesus Christ who offered himself as a ransom and came to this world to die in our place.
1 John 3:8 NKJV“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”Jesus came to free us from the bondage of sin but sin is not the only work of the devil that Jesus came to destroy.
1 John 3:5 NLT “And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.” Through the coming of Jesus Christ we’re set free from sin. When we accept Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin, sin no longer controls us and we can choose not to sin through the help of the Holy Spirit.
One of the names of Jesus as prophesied by Isaiah in Isaiah 9:6 is ‘Prince of Peace’ because Jesus has come to make peace between humanity and God and to restore our broken fellowship and relationship with Him.
Isaiah 9:2, 6 NKJV“The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.”‘for unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given’
If you’re celebrating Christmas don’t get carried away by the decorations, shopping and festivities. What are you celebrating and why are you celebrating?The birth of Jesus is the fulfilment of the prophecies in God’s Word.
Romans 8:19 NIV says“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.”The world is waiting in anticipation and excitement for you to manifest as a child of God. So what are you waiting for??
2 Corinthians 5:20 AMP “So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.”
John 11:41 NLT “…Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me.”Even though Jesus knew that he was the son of God, he never felt entitled or took anything that his Heavenly Father did for him for granted. He was always filled with gratitude to God in every situation, no matter how difficult or challenging.
If you study God’s relationship with different people from the Old Testament to the New Testament, you’ll notice that one of God’s love languages is ‘quality time’. Jesus clearly understood this and throughout his life, he was very deliberate about spending quality time alone with his Heavenly Father.
With Jesus and God, there were no surprises because they communicated with each other about everything. Everything Jesus said, God told him to say, and everything Jesus did was what he saw his Father doing (John 5:19).
No wonder Jesus prayed and spoke with so much authority!
Hebrews 5:8 NLT “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
Children are expected to reverence and honour their fathers and God expects us to reverence Him if we are truly His children. Jesus clearly understood the value of reverencing God because he completely reverenced and honoured God the Father all through his life.
It’s one thing to have a good, loving Heavenly Father but it’s another thing to be a good son to the father. Jesus came, not only to reveal the father to us, but also to show us an example of how to relate with our Heavenly Father and be good sons and daughters to Him.
Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
The desire of our Heavenly Father is to have an intimate personal relationship with us His children. Being born again means being reconciled back into a relationship with God. So it’s all about the quality of our relationship with God.
Psalm 105:14-15 GNT “But God let no one oppress them; to protect them, he warned the kings: “Don't harm my chosen servants; do not touch my prophets.””
Psalms 103:8-13 NLT “The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.”
1 John 3:1 NIV “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!.”
John 5:19 NLT “So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”
1 John 5:18 AMP “We know [with confidence] that anyone born of God does not habitually sin; but He (Jesus) who was born of God [carefully] keeps and protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
Proverbs 3:11-12 NLT “My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.”
Psalms 32:8-9 NKJV “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.
Matthew 6:31-33 NLT ““So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Romans 8:16-17 NIV “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ...”
Because we don’t understand who we are as God’s children and God’s heirs, we come to God as orphans, beggars or slaves!
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Psalm 36:9 GNT says “You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light.”
Since God is the one who gave us life through Jesus Christ, we carry His DNA. So we should look like God, talk like Him, have His attitude, behave like Him and model his character. How much of God’s DNA are you displaying?
Many people are living like spiritual orphans and this is simply because they don’t understand what it means for God to be their father.
So what does it really mean for God to be our father?
Exodus 20:17 AMP ““You shall not covet [that is, selfishly desire and attempt to acquire] your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.””
Exodus 20:16 AMP ““You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person).”
Leviticus 19:11-13 NLT ““Do not steal. “Do not deceive or cheat one another. “Do not bring shame on the name of your God by using it to swear falsely. I am the Lord. “Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “Do not make your hired workers wait until the next day to receive their pay.”
There are several forms of stealing and we need to check ourselves to see if we’re stealing from God or from other people in anyway!
Matthew 5:27-28 NLT ““You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Exodus 20:12 NLT ““Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
Exodus 20:8-10 NLT ““Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God...”
Exodus 20:4-5 NLT ““You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them….”
Exodus 20:2-3 NKJV ““I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
In the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments which are a summary of laws that the Israelites were to live by. These laws were necessary to help the Israelites know the right way that God wanted them to live and they are still applicable to us Christians today.
Luke 4:13 AMP says “When the devil had finished every temptation, he [temporarily] left Him until a more opportune time.”
Temptations will always come because the devil is always looking for opportunities to tempt us but when we fight the temptations the way Jesus did, we will always win.
Matthew 4:8-9 NLT “Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”” What’s your price? Is getting what the world has to offer enticing enough to make you disobey and dishonour God?
This time the devil tempts Jesus with the Pride of life. Jesus should show his power and let the world know that he’s Superman! God has no choice but to back him up right? When we know who we are in Christ, even though we have the power of God working in our favour, we will be humble!
Matthew 4:3 CEV “Then the devil came to him and said, “If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.”
Matthew 4:1 NKJV “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil..”
Genesis 3:5 NLT ““God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.””
Genesis 3:4-5 NLT ““You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”” Do you have trust issues like Eve?
One of Satan’s oldest tricks is to lie and try to discredit the word of God and cause us to doubt it. He played that trick on Eve and she fell for it!
Genesis 3:1 AMP “Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”” Have you prayed today? Have you studied your bible? Are you alert?
“Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin!” Hebrews 4:15 CEV
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
How do we deal with temptation and what is the escape route that God has provided for us?
Bragging and showing-off is one of the ways the ‘pride of life’ manifests. Are all our accomplishments and good deeds all over social media because we want to show off?
Luke 18:11 ERV “The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men who steal, cheat, or commit adultery. I thank you that I am better than this tax collector.” Sound familiar?
Daniel 4:29-30 ERV “Twelve months after the dream, King Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his palace in Babylon. While on the roof, the king said, “Look at Babylon! I built this great city. It is my palace. I built this great place by my power. I built this place to show how great I am.””
2 Kings 7:8 GNT “When the four men reached the edge of the camp, they went into a tent, ate and drank what was there, grabbed the silver, gold, and clothing they found, and went off and hid them; then they returned, entered another tent, and did the same thing.”
Luke 12:15 NLT “Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.””
How many times have we murdered people in our hearts with envy, jealousy, bitterness and so on because we covet what belongs to them?
1 Timothy 6:10 AMP “For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows.”
King Solomon was obsessed with foreign pagan women and they turned his heart away from the Lord. But how did Solomon get to this point?
Proverbs 25:28 ERV “People who cannot control themselves are like cities without walls to protect them.”
Samson was a man born as a Nazirite and a Nazirite is a person consecrated to the service of God and because of that, he was meant to abstain from things that were unholy. Unfortunately, Samson was notorious for having affairs with pagan women who didn’t know God. Why did he keep falling into this temptation even though he knew God’s commandments?
Proverbs 16 vs 27 (The Living Bible) ‘Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece.’
1 John 2:16 NIV “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
James 1:15 NKJV “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
1 Peter 5:8 CEV “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.”
How does Temptation become Sin? James 1:14 NKJV says “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”
Where does temptation come from? James 1:14 NLT “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.”
Do you know that you can be tempted and not sin? Hebrews 4:15 ERV (easy to read) says “Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned.”
John 17:23 NLT “I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
John 17:17 NLT “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”
John 17:15 NIV “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
John 17:9 NLT ““My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.”
Psalms 51:10-12 NLT “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”
““No one is holy like the Lord; there is none like him, no protector like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2 GNT
Daniel 9:18 GNT “Listen to us, O God; look at us and see the trouble we are in and the suffering of the city that bears your name. We are praying to you because you are merciful, not because we have done right.”
2 Kings 19:19 NLT “Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God.””
1 Chronicles 4:10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
Romans 15:5-6 HCSB “Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice.”
2 Thessalonians 1:11 NLT “So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.”
Ephesians 5:17 NIV, “..do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”
Philippians 1:11 NLT “May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ…”
Ephesians 3:18 ERV “And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is.”
Ephesians 3:16-17 TPT “And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power. Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you..”
Ephesians 1:19-21 NLT “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.”
Ephesians 1:17 NIV “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”
Romans 15:13 ERV (easy to read version) “I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
User’s Guide
What should guide what you do with your body and how you treat it based on God’s word?
Proverbs 4:26-27 TPT “Watch where you’re going! Stick to the path of truth, and the road will be safe and smooth before you. Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked for even a moment or take the detour that leads to darkness.”
James 3:10 TPT “Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!”
Proverbs 31:4-5 GNT “Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol. When they drink, they forget the laws and ignore the rights of people in need.
1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Matthew 6:25 NIV ““Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”
Romans 13:14 CEB “Instead, dress yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t plan to indulge your selfish desires.”
2 Chronicles 3:6-7 NKJV “And he decorated the house with precious stones for beauty..”
Ephesians 5:29 KJV “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:”
2 Corinthians 7:1 The NLT “Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.”
Proverbs 13:24 NLT (adapted) “those who spare the rod of discipline hate their body and those who love their body care enough to discipline it.”
Romans 12:1 NLT says “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
What would you do if God told you that He was physically coming down from heaven to pay you a visit and He intends to stay in your house for a week? What would your reaction be? Will you panic? Will you beg Him not to to come yet because you have a lot to tidy up? Will you change your lifestyle, your friends, your clothes, the things you say and do everyday for the period He’s around?
2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Our bodies want to be the boss of us and there is a constant struggle for control between our body and our spirit. Colossians 3:5 CEV says “Don't be controlled by your body…”
3 John 1:2 NLT “Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.”
1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT “….You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
Psalms 139:14 ICB “I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.” God created Samson with incredible strength and Esther with amazing beauty for what purpose?
Do you know that the body you have or the way you look is tailored to the purpose that God wants you to fulfil? However, if you are ignorant of this fact, you will never take advantage of it.
God was very deliberate about giving you a body. He didn’t give us bodies because He didn’t have anything better to do with His time after creating man and He decided to make us look fancy! No!
Proverbs 18:24 NKJV “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”
Proverbs 27:6 TPT says “You can trust a friend who wounds you with his honesty, but your enemy’s pretended flattery comes from insincerity.”
John 13:34-35 NLT “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””
Mark 2:3-5 NLT “four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.””
Job 2:11 NLT “When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him..”
If you are a child of God who has accepted Jesus as your Lord and saviour, one criteria that should top your list in choosing your best friends is that they should have accepted Jesus and they should have a desire to know Him like you do.
Proverbs 27:17 NLT says “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
Do you have best friends that sharpen you spiritually?
Acts 13:6-8 GNT “They went all the way across the island to Paphos, where they met a certain magician named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who claimed to be a prophet. He was a friend of the governor of the island, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor called Barnabas and Saul before him because he wanted to hear the word of God. But they were opposed by the magician Elymas (that is his name in Greek), who tried to turn the governor away from the faith.”
Can you spot the friends in your life that try to block your relationship with God?
Proverbs 13:20 ERV “Be friends with those who are wise, and you will become wise. Choose fools to be your friends, and you will have trouble.”
Proverbs 1:10 TPT “When peer pressure compels you to go with the crowd and sinners invite you to join in, you must simply say, “No!””
The Betrayer
Psalms 41 vs 6-9 NLT “They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere. All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst. “He has some fatal disease,” they say. “He will never get out of that bed!” Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.”
Does this sound familiar? How did Jesus handle such friends?
1 Corinthians 15:33 CEV says “Don't fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you.”
If God is very selective about the people He calls His friends, so should we. So what kind of people should we not have as BFFs?
Exodus 33:9 ICB “When Moses went into the Tent, the pillar of cloud would always come down. It would stay at the entrance of the Tent while the Lord spoke with Moses.” How did a man develop such an intimate friendship with God?
Acts 13:22 NKJV “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’”
God found something in the heart of David that He didn’t find in the heart of anybody else around him which earned David his title as ‘man after God’s heart’. So what did God see in David’s heart?
Isaiah 41:8 NKJV says: ““But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.” What exactly did Abraham do that made God see him as His friend?
The greatest friendship ever, is friendship with God. In Matthew 7:21 CEV, Jesus said “Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven...”
So ask yourself ‘are you really God’s friend or you’re just calling Him Lord and assuming that you are when you’re really not. It is only those that God identifies as His friends that will enter His kingdom in heaven so don’t assume, know and upgrade your friendship status!
Jesus shows us how very important friendship is because of the enormous sacrifice that he made for us his friends. John 15:13 NKJV says “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends…”
2 Corinthians 9:8 GNT “God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.”
Joshua 1:5 GNT “..no one will be able to defeat you as long as you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will always be with you; I will never abandon you.”
1 Kings 3:9 NLT “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?””
But is godly ambition alone enough for us to succeed?
Joshua 24:15 NKJV “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””
David’s ambition can be seen In Psalms 27:4 NLT where he said: “The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.”
“My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.” Romans 15:20 NLT
Titus 3:14 ICB “Our people must learn to use their lives for doing good deeds. They should do good to those in need. Then our people will not have useless lives.”
Matthew 6:33 AMP “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.”
1 Thessalonians 4:11 NIV “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,”
1 Peter 4:10 NLT “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”
2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.”
Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 NKJV says “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.
Jeremiah 17:10 NLT says “But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.””
Galatians 6:4-5 MSG says “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”
Genesis 11:4 NLT says “Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.””
Matthew 6:24 NLT ““No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
Luke 12:15 NLT “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Because your Life is not measured by how much you own.””
James 3:16 NLT says “For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.”
Ezekiel 28:17 ICB says about Lucifer: “You became too proud because of your beauty. You ruined your wisdom because of your greatness. I threw you down to the ground. Your example taught a lesson to other kings.” Pride is a terrible thing, keep off!
James 3:16 NIV “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Philippians 2:3 NKJV “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
Hebrews 10:7 NLT ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’””
What is driving your ambition?
Should we be ambitious as God’s children and and what kind of ambition should we have?
In 1 Timothy 6:9 GNB, the bible says “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction.”
But Ecclesiastes 9:10 says ‘whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might ‘. So how can we have a balance and what does God’s word say?
Luke 6:32-33 ICB “If you love only those who love you, should you get some special praise for doing that? No! Even sinners love the people who love them! If you do good only to those who do good to you, should you get some special praise for doing that? No! Even sinners do that!”
Psalms 103:10-12 GNB “He does not punish us as we deserve or repay us according to our sins and wrongs. As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love for those who honour him. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins from us.”
Genuine love is not convenient but sacrificial. It will cost you and sometimes hit you where it hurts. Sacrificial love requires that we set aside ourselves, set aside our own desires, needs, wants, pride etc for the benefit of others. Jesus made sacrifices and gave himself up for us. Who are you making sacrifices for?
1 John 3:16 NLT says “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
You can give without loving but you can never love without giving. Loving and giving go hand in hand because giving is a natural expression of love. God, who is our ultimate standard on love has demonstrated His love for us by giving. Ephesians 5:2 GNB says “Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God.”
Titus 3:4-5 GNB says “But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour was revealed, he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us.” But how can we unconditionally love people who consistently hurt us and do the wrong things?
People want love but they are not willing to pay any price for it because of the belief that love is free and because it’s perceived to be free, they don’t value it.
But let’s think about it, is love really free? Even though love is freely given, it comes at a cost to the giver. The love God has for us cost Him the Life of His only son! So even though we give love freely, we must give it to those who will value it and pay a price for it.
The ‘better half myth’ is the idea that we all have someone out there who is our better half, who is perfect for us and who we expect to complete us and fill that void in our lives. So did God create us incomplete?
Colossians 2:10 NLT says “So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”
People, society and popular culture have made us believe that love is all about how we feel. So when someone makes us feel a particular way then we love them but when we don’t feel that way anymore then we don’t love the person anymore. But what would Jesus do?
Jesus said in John 13:34 NKJV ‘’A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
When it comes to love and relationships, the cliched advice a lot of people give is ‘follow your heart’. But what does the bible say about the heart?
Jeremiah 17:9 NLT says ““The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”
Love Myths: ‘happily ever after’ John 16:33 NIV ““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””
Judges 6:12 GNB “The LORD's angel appeared to him there and said, “The LORD is with you, brave and mighty man!””
Isaiah 54:10 NIV “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Isaiah 53:3 NLT “He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.”
We all want to be loved and accepted and nobody likes to face rejection. But unfortunately, rejection is a natural part of life and we will not always be accepted. We won’t always fit into the mould that the world, society or family places on us and because of that we will face rejection but that doesn’t mean that we are not good enough or that we are not loveable.
“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love.”
Mother Theresa
Genesis 29:32 CEV ‘’Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben. Then she said, “The Lord has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel.””
This valentines season, many people are going to be saying ‘ I love you’ but what does their ‘I love you’ really mean? What does God mean when He says ‘I love you’?
1 John 3:1 NIV “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!..
Many people say that fasting only changes us and it doesn’t change God in any way.What examples can we see from the bible?
1 Corinthians 13:3 NLT “If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”
Isaiah 58: 3-4 NLT …Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.”
Isaiah 58:5 CEV “Do you think the Lord wants you to give up eating and to act as humble as a bent-over bush? Or to dress in sackcloth and sit in ashes? Is this really what he wants on a day of worship?”
Isaiah 58:3 NLT “‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves…
Many times our motives for fasting are for personal reasons. We fast because we want to get something from God or because we want to build our relationship with Him and this is great. But in addition to this, we need to fast for reasons that touch the heart of God.
Leviticus 20:7 NKJV “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Esther 4:15-17 NLT “Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king…
Psalms 63:1 NLT “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.”
It’s really important for us to always check our motives for fasting to be sure we’re fasting for the right reasons so that we can fast the right way and we can get the right results.
II Chronicles 7:14 NKJV says “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Psalms 51:17 GNB says “My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.”
If you want to get God’s attention, one of the ways you can be sure to get it is to humble yourself before God in fasting and prayer.
People have been fasting since bible days and major religions in the world like Islam and Buddhism believe in fasting. But fasting can be reduced to a mere ritual or a religious activity if we don’t understand why we fast. While studying about fasting, something that got me really curious is why God wants us to fast because God himself instituted fasting. So why does God want us to fast?
Proverbs 8:17 AMP “I love those who love me; And those who seek me early and diligently will find me.”
Want to seek God diligently? A great place to start is by fasting. There some things that can only be achieved through prayer and fasting.
Matthew 6:33. The NKJV says “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Ask yourself: What am I chasing after in 2022? Why am I pursuing those goals? Are those goals the right goals for me? Do they align with seeking God’s kingdom first?
Ecclesiastes 7:8 NKJV “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”
Proverbs 9:10 NKJV ““The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 10:19 GNB says “The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet.”
Ephesians 6:2-3 NLT ““Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.””
Proverbs 11:2 NLT says “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
Proverbs 4:20 NIV “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.”
2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
James 1:22 NLT ‘’But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
Proverbs 4:7 ICB ‘’Wisdom is the most important thing. So get wisdom. If it costs everything you have, get understanding.”
Colossians 3:17 NLT “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus,’’…
Acts 1:8 NLT “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”
Ephesians 6:19-20 NLT “And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”
1 Peter 3:15 GNB “…Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you,”
Acts of the Apostles 1:8 NLT “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””
There are places and people that we may never be able to reach by ourselves to preach the gospel but there are people who may be able to go there. There are missionaries all over the world who go to different countries, to remote places where people have never heard about Jesus, to preach to them. These missionaries leave their homes, their jobs and give up everything just to preach the gospel and they need our help and support to keep the work going.
Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV ““You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Galatians 6:2 NLT “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
If you want to get peoples attention, solve their problems!
John 4:42 NLT ‘’Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.””
Luke 8:38-39 GNB “The man from whom the demons had gone out begged Jesus, “Let me go with you.” But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Go back home and tell what God has done for you.” The man went through the town, telling what Jesus had done for him.”
Romans 8:19 NIV “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.”
Mark 10:45 ICB “In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve. The Son of Man came to give his life to save many people.””
Matthew 9:36-37 NKJV ‘’But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
John 9:4-5 NLT “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.””
Luke 2:49 NKJV “And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”” Jesus, as early as age twelve knew that he had to go about his father’s business. How about you? Are you going about your father’s business?
In fulfilling the ‘great commission’ which is the assignment that Jesus gave to all believers to make disciples of all nations, we can’t overlook the role that attitude plays. People have all kinds of attitudes towards this assignment and your level of achievement or your level of success starts with your attitude.
Matthew 28:20 AMP “and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.””
Romans 10:13-15 NLT “For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!””
Matthew 28:18-19 from NLT “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
This is an order, not a suggestion!
For Jesus to be an effective saviour of the world, he needed to delegate the authority of certain assignments to responsible team members who would deliver results, and that’s exactly what Jesus did in Mathew 28: 16-20
When Jesus was leaving this world after he had resurrected and he met with his disciples, there was so much he wanted to say to them, so many things that he wanted to remind them of, but so little time. So Jesus, as he was leaving had to tell them the most important things that he needed them to remember. What were Jesus’s parting shots?
The words of Jesus were loaded with power. All the words he spoke were productive and none fell to the ground but they were guaranteed to achieved the desired results. So when Jesus spoke he wasn’t watching and waiting to see whether what he said would happen or not. He just went went his way without any worry. So what was the power behind his words?
Jesus was a man of faith and his faith was reflected in everything he did. In the miracles he performed, in his interactions with people, in the words that he spoke, in everything. When Jesus spoke in faith, miracles happened and situations were turned around. We too can work miracles and turn circumstances around if we speak in faith.
Many times when we think about speaking words that are powerful we think that they always have to be assertive, commanding, authoritative, sometimes, even negative. The kind of words that connote power. But when you study the life of Jesus you’ll see that the most powerful words are words spoken out of love, kindness and compassion.
Mark 10:51-52 NKJV “So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.”
Proverbs 27:5 NLT “An open rebuke is better than hidden love!” Jesus sometimes had to sharply rebuke people during his life time and he called some people out. But what was his motive?
Proverbs 16:24 Kind words are like honey: sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
What are your own words like?
Mark 11:22-23 NKJV says “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
If you know the story of Gideon, then you’ll agree with me that ‘bold and courageous’ were two adjectives that could not be used to describe him. But God always sends the right people into our lives who will speak positive words of encouragement that will help us to see ourselves as God sees us.
What do you do when you are oppressed and faced with great challenges that shake your confidence, beat you down and tell you that you can’t succeed? Go on the counteroffensive like David!
This week, we are looking at the flip side and we will be studying about the power of positive words and it’s impact our lives.
What do you believe in your heart and what are you confessing with your mouth?
From our devotionals this week we’ve seen how negative words spoken by us or by other people over us can have a really terrible impact on our lives.
So what can we do about it?
We must always be careful about who and what we listen to. All around us people are trying so hard to get our attention and there are so many voices speaking random words and a lot of these words stray into our minds without us realising it. If such random voices are negative, then they will have a negative impact on our minds and our words. May the Lord grant us grace to keep our minds free from random negative voices
The words we speak reveal the state of our hearts. Luke 6:45 says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks so if you have negativity in your heart your mouth will speak what is negative but if you have good in your heart then what comes out of your mouth will be positive.
What negative emotions are you harbouring in your heart that cause you to make negative confessions?
When people who have authority like parents, mentors, leaders and so on speak negative words over people under them, whether deliberately or not, it can have a very negative impact on the people they speak those words over.
What words are the people who have authority over you speaking into your life? I pray that none of them speak negative words over you in Jesus name.
We’re all affected by the words that are spoken and those words can be spoken by us or spoken by other people over us
Psalms 18:30 NIV says “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.”
God’s word which is the bible is flawless. There are no mistakes in it and there is no confusion or contradiction either. The word from Genesis to Revelation gives a consistent message and points us to the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth and nobody can add to God’s word.
Proverbs 30:5-6 CEV “Everything God says is true— and it's a shield for all who come to him for safety. Don't change what God has said! He will correct you and show that you are a liar.” Prayer Lord I thank you because your word is true. Help us your children to always take refuge in your word and to use your word as our standard at all times. Help us never to believe anything that is not in line with your word but help us to keep your word in our heart so that we can easily discern anything that is a lie so that we will not be deceived In Jesus name. Amen.
Isaiah 55:10-11 ICB says: “Rain and snow fall from the sky. They don’t return without watering the ground. They cause the plants to sprout and grow. And the plants make seeds for the farmer. And from these seeds people have bread to eat. The words I say do the same thing. They will not return to me empty. They make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do.”
Prayer: Lord I pray for the grace and the wisdom to only send my words to bring life and positive results and not to bring death and negative consequences in Jesus name.
One of the really amazing things about God is that He doesn’t joke with His words. Every word that God speaks is purposeful.
Numbers 23:19 NLT “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” God’s word is unchangeable and it will always achieve God’s purpose. Hallelujah!!!
In Numbers 14:28 NLT, God was talking to Moses and Aaron concerning the negative things that the Israelites had been saying so God said: “Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say.” Now Imagine if God was saying this to you and God were to do for you the exact things that you say every day. Would you still continue to say the things you say?
Ecclesiastes 9:10 NKJV “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might..”
Proverbs 18:21 AMP “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.”
Matthew 6:22 NLT ““Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
I Corinthians 2:16 NKJV “For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
Anyone that has the wrong mind cannot please God and cannot fulfil God’s plans for his or her life because a wrong mind cannot understand and cannot value the things of God. So what wrong minds do we need to pray against? The bible tells us about different types of wrong minds.
Proverbs 4:23 NLT “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Proverbs 18:16 NKJV “A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.”
John 6:38 NKJV “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Jeremiah 5:21 NKJV says “‘Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not:”
I Thessalonians 5:23 NKJV, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Exodus 33:11 NKJV “the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”
John 17:3 NKJV “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
Psalms 42:1-2 NKJV “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”
Ecclesiastes 12:1 ICB says “Remember your Creator while you are young. Your old age is coming when you will have many troubles. When that time comes, you won’t have much to enjoy.”
Joshua 1:8 NKJV “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Luke 1:13-17 NLT “But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.””
Lord please fill us with the spirit of Elijah so that we can turn the the hearts of people around us to you in Jesus name.
1 John 5:21 NLT “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”
Elijah let his emotions get the best of him and he abandoned the place where God sent him to. But what is God going to do about this? Is He going to destroy Elijah, or reject him as His prophet or what exactly is God going to do with him? It’s comforting to know that God judges us by the motives of our hearts.
1 Kings 19:9 NLT :’’There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”” Sometimes God asks questions that the answers are pretty obvious to Him. So why does He ask such questions?
Isaiah 55:8 NLT ““My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”
Psalms 103:11-14 NKJV “For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
Elijah had just achieved very great victories in his life and ministry. However, right after the victory was a big challenge threatening to pull him down. How can we ensure we sustain our victories?
Elijah had given his word to Ahab that a rainstorm was coming. Yet when Elijah went up on mount Carmel to pray and he sent his servant to check whether there were any clouds, nothing had changed. He sent his servant out several times but still, the circumstances did not change. What should we do when we pray but the situation doesn’t seem to change? What can we learn from Elijah?
James 5:17-18 NLT says “Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.”
1 Kings 18:38-39 NLT “Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”” Hallelujah!
Isaiah 45:20 NLT says ““What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save!”
You may have gods and idols and not even realise it! There are so many contemporary idols and we may not know when we get hooked on them.
Matthew 13:15 NLT “For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’”
1 Kings 18:21 MSG “Elijah challenged the people: “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!” Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.” Where do you stand? Are you still sitting on the fence or limping between two opinions? If Jesus is Lord, then follow him!
In 1 Kings 18:1, God sent Elijah as His representative to meet with Ahab. As Christians, God is daily sending us out as His representatives to the people we come in contact with daily so that we can reconcile them to Christ. How well are we representing Him?
For three years Elijah had been in hiding as instructed by God after he prophesied that there would be no rain. Then one day, God tells him to go back and meet with Ahab, the evil king who by now was searching desperately for Elijah with very evil intentions towards him. But Elijah confidently obeyed God and went to meet with Ahab even in the face of danger. How could Elijah be so bold and fearless?
In 1 kings 17:1-2, God sent Elijah to Ahab to tell him that there would be no rain in the land of Samaria then He told Elijah to go and hide. Now in 1 Kings 18, after 3years of hiding God told Elijah to go back and tell Ahab that it would soon rain. So why did God change his mind? What happened in those three years to make God say that it was time for the rains to fall again in Samaria? Had Ahab and the Israelites stopped worshiping idols? The answer is No. We need to understand the times and seasons of God in order to understand what God is doing in each season.
One reality that we need to come to terms with is that we must face problems and challenges in life, regardless of our age, gender, religion or where we come from. Some of these challenges can be really painful and can shake our faith. So what should we do when challenges come?
Many Christians have been programmed to think that bad things shouldn’t happen to Christians so when they do, we get confused
At the brook of Cherith, Elijah learnt to trust God for himself as we saw at our devotional yesterday. He learnt to trust God completely as his source. But when the brook dried up, God was indirectly telling Elijah that it was time to move to a new level of trust in his relationship with God. So God directed him to a widow in Zarephath. But what did God want Elijah to learn here?
Sometimes we really can’t understand God! God gave Elijah specific instructions to go and hide by the Cherith brook only for the brook to dry up after a while! A lot of people would have been really confused at that point. Did God really speak to them to go to the brook? If He did then why did He allow the brook to dry up?
I Kings 17:3-4 NKJV ““Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.””
There were a million and one places that God could have sent Elijah to, so why send him to Cherith? There were millions of people that God could have used to feed Elijah, but why ravens?
I Kings 17:2-3 NKJV “Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.” Elijah had just pronounced God’s judgment and told Ahab that there would be no rain in the land. So why then did God tell Elijah to go into hiding?
Elijah was one of the most significant and intriguing Prophets in the bible. He was a prophet in Israel during the reign of the very evil king, King Ahab. Join me from today as we learn life lessons from this remarkable man of God.
I’ve heard people ask questions like ‘what is heaven like? Or what would we be doing when we get there? Will we just be floating around doing nothing? Revelations 21 gives us a glimpse of how beautiful heaven will be.
Some people say that once we accept Jesus and believe in him as our Lord and saviour, then we automatically have eternal life and we will go to heaven regardless of how we live our lives after we get saved. But what does the bible say?
2 Corinthians 5:10 EASY “Because all of us must go and stand in front of Christ as our judge. He will decide about the things that we have done during our lives here on earth. Whether we have done good things or bad things, we will receive what is right for us.”
1 Chronicles 29:15 NLT says “We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.”
Serving God is a big priority for us as God’s children. But there are times that God doesn’t want us to serve.
Giving to God has been surrounded by all kinds of ideas and opinions but what does the bible say?
Ephesians 2:10 NIV says “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Are you doing what God planned for you to do with your time?
There are so many things that we spend all our energy pursuing on a daily basis but what should be our greatest pursuit?
What relationships are of the greatest priority to you? If you were to list the five most important relationships in your life in order of importance, what names would make the list and what name would be the number one on that list? What does the bible say about this?
Today everyone wants to be the boss. But what does Jesus teach us about being the boss?
There are a couple of the commandments in the bible out of the Ten Commandments that when you’re reading them, you’re thinking ‘thank God! at least, I know I can never be guilty of breaking this commandment!’. One of such commandments is the 6th commandment, ‘you shall not murder’. This commandment really doesn’t concern most of us because we have never, and we will never ever commit murder, right? But let’s find out what the word says.
We all have our ‘go-to’ person whenever we are in trouble and we need help. That one person or people that we trust to always have our back and never fail us. But do they have the capacity to always help us?
Many Christians are under the impression that they can choose to love or not to love other people. But I have never seen anywhere in the bible that tells me that loving other people is an option.
It is so easy to be critical and judgmental of other people and It’s so easy for us to see the mistakes and the short comings of others and we are quick to condemn them. But shouldn’t we correct people when they do the wrong things and is it wrong to speak the truth about other people?
Most of us have at one time or the other tried to fit in. From primary school to college, being one of the ‘cool kids’ is top priority and even as we get older, blending in with the crowd and being liked and accepted by others is very important to us. But as Christians are we really meant to fit in with the world around us?
One advice we get all the time is ‘just be yourself’ which sounds great. However, the bible doesn’t encourage us to just be ‘ourselves’ so what does the bible tell us?
Proverbs 16:18-19 NKJV “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
I have some shocking news to share with you. Do you know that Everything you have is borrowed, and nothing you have really belongs to you? You may be wondering what on earth I’m talking about. Find out from today’s devotional.
Paul, the greatest apostle and evangelist of the New Testament had some great habits that we can learn from
Daniel formed habits that made it impossible for his enemies to find any fault in him. What habits have you formed to keep you out of trouble?
Great men in the bible all formed habits that helped them to become successful. What habits did Daniel have?
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7 NKJV
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Proverbs 22:29 KJV
True Success in our relationship with God and in the other things we do in life is not a coincidence. It requires deliberate effort which becomes part of our daily lives as a result of the habits we form.
Life is filled with challenges that we need to overcome but each one requires its own unique strategy.
The Gibeonites made the best decision ever by forming an alliance with Israel at all cost. That alliance saved and preserved them and opened doors to other benefits they never imagined! There are definitely life lessons to learn from the Gibeonites .
Asking God for guidance is not a one-off prayer. We must seek God daily for direction so that we will not be deceived.
Life is not only about successes but also about failures. But what do you do when you fail?
Israel was cut off from their fellowship with God so they lost the battle against Ai. By why? What happened to all God’s promises?
When we achieve great successes in our lives, that is the time for us to be more watchful and alert because any mistake can bring us down
God has more than a million and one ways to solve a problem and he uses very unconventional ways that we cannot understand. We just have to trust and obey like Joshua did in the battle against Jericho
God has more than a million and one ways to solve a problem and he uses very unconventional ways that we cannot understand. We just have to trust and obey like Joshua did in the battle against Jericho
God was with Joshua the same way He was with Moses and God did mighty things through him as a sign that He was with him. ‘’The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Daniel 11:32 NKJV
The Israelites were taught to carry the Ark of the Covenant (which represented the presence of God) everywhere they went. As a child of God, do you carry His presence?
How infectious are you? What example are you laying that other people around you would see and want to emulate?
Joshua had a heart for God and he was able to influence other people to serve God. Are you influencing others to know God?
Joshua made the sacrifice of waiting behind in God’s presence so that He could get to know Him. What sacrifice are you making to know God personally?
Joshua was one of the most effective and successful leaders that Israel ever had and this was simply because he had a heart of service.
What kind of team player are you? How well are you carrying out the roles and assignments that you’ve been given. Let’s learn from Joshua’s example
Do you see the glass half full or half empty? It’s all about perspective! You can choose what you see.
Welcome to February! This month we’re going to be studying about a man called Joshua. You hear people talk about the Joshua generation’ but what does that even mean? What is so special about Joshua that we have to devote time to study about him?
Isaiah 43:18-19 GNB says ‘’But the LORD says, “Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already — you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.”
Fear is a major driving force for many people. But when that fear drives you to compromise and want to succeed by all means, regardless of the cost, then it’s just wrong!
Mark 16:15 NKJV “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Let this assignment from Jesus drive you in everything you do.
Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV says: “Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.”
In 1 Samuel 17:37 NLT, David said: “The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” This was David’s memorial. What’s yours?
John 4:34 MSG says “Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started.
“For it is Christ’s love that fuels our passion and motivates us,’ 2 Corinthians 5:14 TPT What’s your motivation?
What is that thing that drives you and gets you up everyday to do what you do? Or are you feeling discouraged and not motivated to do anything?You’re not alone.
Psalms 20:7 CEV says “Some people trust the power of chariots or horses, but we trust you, Lord God.” So how do we get to put our trust in God?
The world around us has it’s way of doing things which is most often not in line with God’s word or His ways. Unfortunately we find ourselves trusting in the word’s way rather than in God’s ways.
Proverbs 23:4-5 ICB gives us some great advice. It says: “Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to control yourself. Wealth can vanish in the wink of an eye. It seems to grow wings and fly away like an eagle in the sky.”
“Psalms 146:3-4 TPT ‘We can never look to men for help; no matter who they are, they can’t save us, for even our great leaders fail and fall. They too are just mortals who will one day die.
Every year, many of us start off making resolutions and plans for ourselves. But many of those plans are based on the trust that we have in certain things that we believe will help us achieve the things we’ve planned out. However, there are certain things that we can’t afford to put our trust in because they will fail us. Let’s find out what some of those things are this week.
It’s so easy to have faith in people and the things around us by it’s very difficult for many people to have faith in God!
We’ve started another year with lockdowns and restrictions and all we hear about is the covid19 pandemic and it’s easy to despair and to get distracted with all of that. However, Jesus advices us to ‘watch and pray’.
We need to have the knowledge of God if we want to have a very successful year. Now you may be thinking ‘what does the knowledge of God have to do with me being successful or achieving my goals for the year?’
Welcome to a brand New Year! God has a lot planned for us this year but to achieve them, we need to follow His advice. So what advice is God giving us?
Raising the child of the Almighty God is the most intimidating job that I can ever imagine! But Joseph and Mary pulled it off.
Many people trivialise Joseph’s role in the birth of Jesus and they don’t realise that Joseph was very crucial to Jesus’s survival. So what role did Joseph play?
Every king is preceded by a herald so when the king of kings and the Lord of Lords was coming to the earth, He had to have a forerunner.
There were so many virgins in the world at the time when Jesus was to come to the earth but out of the hundreds of thousands of virgins at that time, God chose Mary! Why did God chose Mary for this very important assignment of bringing our Savior Jesus Christ into the world?
Simeon and Anna were two people who were eagerly watching and praying for God’s promise to be fulfilled. We should all join their team!
When God had the most important news in the whole of creation to share with the world, he went looking for the strangest set of people to first tell that good news to.
The prophets played a significant role in the birthing of Jesus by predicting the birth of the messiah
The story of Esther shows us not only the good, but it also comes with the bad and the ugly
What do you trust in? Everything Haman put his trust in failed him so don’t make the same mistake!
Proverbs 26:27 AMP “Whoever digs a pit for another man’s feet will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone up a hill to do mischief, it will come back on him.”
Never envy the people that do wrong and look like they’re getting away with it. Just wait to see their end. They will go from grace to grace very quickly.
The quality of decisions we make are largely affected by our influencers. So who are your influencers?
God can inconvenience anyone when He wants to favour His children so don’t give up! Keep doing the right thing.!
There’s a right time for everything. There’s a time to be quiet and there’s a time to speak out. Esther knew when to do both.
There is a protocol for entering into the presence of a king and Esther had a clear understanding of what to do. So what can we learn from her?
For us to fulfil God’s purpose for our lives, we need God’s help because we can’t do it on our own. It’s not by power or might.
Like Esther, we are where we are because God has a purpose for us to fulfil. We are there for such a time as this.
We all need to have people in our lives who at the right time will burst our bubble and bring us back to earth by being very honest with us when we need to hear the truth! Mordecai was that person for Esther.
Sackcloth and ashes were used in the Old Testament times by the Jews as a sign for mourning, repentance and heartfelt sorrow. It was a sign that something had gone terribly wrong! But what could possibly have gone wrong in Queen Esther’s perfect world?
It’s amazing how something very little can snowball into something so huge that it gets out of control! That’s why we need to pray for God to keep us from all evil.
The story of Esther comes with its own villain, Haman also known as the ‘enemy of the Jews’.
God brings different people into our lives for specific reasons and we must not take such relationships for granted. Can you identify the ‘Mordecais’ in your life?
Our actions can have serious consequences so we need to be careful. Find out from King Xerxes and Queen Vashti!
Good morning and welcome to the beginning of a new month! Today we’re starting our study on the book of Esther and our topic today is ‘the heart of Xerxes’
If you want to know whether you are becoming more like Jesus, check the level of your obedience to God and His word.
One thing I’ve learned about relationships is that we tend to become more like the people we spend the most time with. So want to become like Jesus? Spend time with him!
How dead you are to your self will determine how much you have grown to become like Jesus. But what does this even mean??
If you want to know how close or how far you are from becoming like Jesus, check your love gauge!
How well are you doing on a scale of 1-10 on becoming like Jesus? A daily self check is soo important!
One of the reasons Jesus came was to preach the gospel and he passed on that assignment to us when he was leaving the earth. It’s our responsibility to also pass it on!
Jesus was someone who stood up for the oppressed and downtrodden in the society and he also spoke up for the truth and spoke against injustices. So let’s learn from Jesus how to speak up!
Jesus has given us believers the power and authority to do the things he did. But do you you believe it? If you do, then just do the things he did!
Jesus went about healing all those who were sick. Guess what? We are to do this and greater!
One of the ways to be like Jesus is to do the things he did. Jesus said those who believe in him would do the things he did and even greater! So what kind of things did Jesus do?
What really are you praying for? Do you pray for the the really important things? Are you praying for your mind?
It’s not every thought that drops into our mind that we should think about. We must deliberately take our thoughts captive and think about what we are thinking about! So what should we focus our minds on?
The same way our bodies need to be fed and nourished in order to be healthy and survive, our spirits and souls also need to be fed and nourished. But what should we feed our minds with?
To have the mind of Jesus we have to free our minds from every wrong mindset, thoughts and imaginations that are not in line with God’s word
Jesus said unless we become like a child we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. But what does that even mean?
Jesus did not allow his mind to focus on the circumstances around him but to focus on God and because of that his faith was unshakable. Do you have a mind of faith?
Though Jesus came in human form, he never ever committed sin. He was holy, blameless and righteous. To be like Jesus, we also have to be holy.
If you study the way Jesus related with people throughout the bible or all the miracles that Jesus performed whether it was healing the sick or feeding the 5,000, it was done with a heart of love and compassion.
To become like Jesus our mind has to be renewed and transformed to be like the mind of Jesus. So what was the mind of Jesus like? He had a surrendered will..
Though Jesus is God, He humbled Himself and came to this world as a human being, and not only that he took on the nature of a servant. Jesus didn’t come to this world with the noble birth of a king to rule us and boss us around as earthly kings do. His own kingship was in form of a servant. So Jesus had the mind of a servant.
Today we are so concerned about our reputation, what people think of us and what they say about us so we’ll do everything possible to protect it. But what mindset did Jesus have about His reputation?
To be like Jesus, our minds need to be renewed to the kind of mind that Jesus had. So what kind of mind did Jesus have?
The mind is like the engine room that determines the direction you go. Who’s controlling your mind?
The same way babies learn by imitating their parents and people around them, born again children of God are to imitate God so they can become like Him.
After you become born again, you automatically have three enemies and their plan is to prevent you from achieving your goal as a child of God which is to become like Jesus Christ. So it’s important for us to know who those enemies are so that we know how to deal with them. The first enemy we identified yesterday is the ‘flesh’ so who are the other two enemies?
The goal of every born again Christian should be to become like Jesus which sounds easy enough doesn’t it? Unfortunately we have three major enemies that will do everything possible to prevent us from achieving that goal. One of these enemies is the ‘flesh’. So what really is the flesh?
How confident are you about your relationship with Jesus? Apostle Paul at every stage knew how well he was doing. Do you?
When there is no vision of what you’re aspiring for, it becomes frustrating and it’s hard to set a guide for your life. But God has not called us to become born again for no reason. The purpose of becoming a Christian is not just so that we can go to heaven after we grow old and leave this earth. There is more to our Christianity than that. So what exactly should we become?
There are times when God not only says Yes, but He throws in lots of extras that we never even asked for! What do we need to do to get this kind of answers to our prayers?
Sometimes God says Yes in answer to our prayers but we need to wait for it. So what should we do while we’re waiting?
A lot of people pray to God halfheartedly without expecting that God will say a ‘Yes’ to their prayers. So what should be our expectation?
Why do we want what we pray for? James 4:3 says ‘we ask and we don’t receive because our motives are all wrong’. So what should our motive be when we pray?
Sin is one of the major hindrances to prayer because when we are living in sin, God can’t even see us or hear us because His eyes are too holy to look at sin. So how can our prayers be answered?
A lot of prayers have no basis or no foundation and because of that, they are not answered. What should be the basis of our prayers?
Jesus said we should pray to God the father in His name. But do we understand the power we have in the name of Jesus?
God has told us to ask Him and He will meet our needs. But why do we pray and we don’t get answers sometimes?
There is a right way and a wrong way to fast. So today we’ll look at ‘how NOT to fast’.
just like when Jesus talked about prayer, he said ‘when you fast’ and not ‘if you fast’ which means fasting is something we are meant to be doing. So prayer and fasting are two things that go hand in hand
Many people pray this prayer with their lips but not from their heart. So how should we pray for forgiveness?
What does it mean to pray this prayer? So many of us recite these words without actually thinking about what God’s will is and with no intention of seeing to it that God’s will is done.
The second petition in the Lord’s Prayer is ‘thy kingdom come’. But what does this mean?
When we pray, the first thing is to acknowledge who we are praying to. Jesus said we should pray to God the father so we must approach God in faith as our loving heavenly father.
Jesus was teaching the disciples how to pray and He started by giving them tips or guidelines on what to do when they want to pray, Jesus talked about praying in secret and avoiding empty babbling. What do they mean?
Jesus said when we want to pray, we shouldn’t be like the hypocrites. Am I a hypocrite when I go to pray ??
Most of us wait till we have a problem or we are faced with a challenging situation before we start praying but those kind of prayers are not effective prayers. There is no ‘fire brigade’ approach to prayer. If we want to get results, we need to do the time!
Prayer has so many wonderful benefits but if we don’t pray, we will be losing out on so much that God has planned for us. So today we’ll be looking at various reasons why it’s important for us to pray.
We cannot have any meaningful relationship with God without prayer so if you want to know the quality of the relationship you have with God, check out the quality of your prayers.
It’s not possible for anyone to know how God will choose to manifest His healing power in any situation but we know without a doubt that He has made healing available to us His children.
God uses the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He uses the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame.
God’s criteria for selecting people to work for Him is different from human criteria. But do you qualify?
There are so many ways that God’s ways differ from our ways and we will continue studying them this week. So how does God determine the richest men in the world?
God’s ways are truly higher than our ways because it’s not the size of our gift that matters most to God.
Good morning. God showed His ‘ways’ to Moses and His acts to the Israelites. This week we will study examples of God’s ways so that we can know Him more. Today we’re studying God’s ways on ‘love’.
God is Sovereign which means He has all authority and power and He does whatever He pleases and no one can question Him. But that doesn’t make God a tyrant! He’s not a wicked and oppressive ruler who just destroys people at will. Despite His sovereignty, God still operates within certain parameters. So God operates by certain principles or laws which He chooses to operate by.
The omniscient nature of God allows Him to know all things before they happen so He knows the end even from the beginning. Nothing slips past God, and He doesn’t forget anything at all.
A unique attribute of God is omnipotence. Omnipotent means ‘Almighty’, all powerful, having the power to do anything and all things.
The Almighty God is eternal. He has no beginning and no end. He’s not limited by time but controls time!
No one can comprehend how high the heavens are above the earth so that means that we can’t even begin to imagine how great God’s mercy is towards us.
God is good and no evil comes from Him. Unfortunately God gets blamed for everything that is wrong in the world!
God reveals Himself through experiences that give us a personal conviction about who He is
God has revealed Himself in these last days through His son and that son is Jesus Christ.
God really wants us to know Him and for this reason, He has gone all out to reveal Himself and make Himself visible to us through various ways.
God longs to have personal and intimate conversations with us. Let’s communicate with Him!
Every relationship needs working at it. It going to cost you something to make it work. Same thing with your relationship with God!