Twenty thousand and fourteen is still in its infancy, we don’t know what it holds in store but we are walking by faith and not by sight. Our entrance into this year is not by chance nor is it by accident it is God Almighty’s doing, and that as a reader of this article you shall eat the fruit of 2014. That is why at the beginning of a New Year we must have a heart of gratitude for all the benefits we have received from the Lord.
We must be grateful for the past year and realize it is purely the grace and mercy of God that has sustained us so far. He has a purpose for us. Many rivers have overflowed their banks and lives were taken away, earthquakes at an alarming rate, retrenchment of workers being the order of the day, leaders confused, husbands killing wives, children, a lot of suicide, and corruption in government – the list is endless. But in His anger He has not consumed us. Our stepping into twenty thousand and fourteen is because God has not finished with us. That is why we should ask this question like the Psalmist. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (Psalm 116:12. The more we take stock the more we are bound to say with David, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my father’s house, that you have brought me hitherto?”
Keep Gratitude of Journal
I listened with excitement during our cross over night when one sister came out and gave testimony of how God did all that she wrote in her prayer request for the year twenty thousand and thirteen that He answered all except one. Her face was beaming with smile. She said as the answers were coming she was ticking the list. If she had not kept that ‘journal of gratitude’ she would have communalised what God did for her. An excellent way to show thanksgiving unto God is by keeping a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is more than just a list of your blessings, but a way to record what God has done for you on a daily basis.
Friend! You cannot indeed reckon up all the benefits you have received from the hand of God for they are countless as the stars of heaven or the drops of the mighty ocean. Think of the air we breathe, the succession of the seasons, and the quiet and gentle stillness and the repose of night, all these with their unnumbered host of attendant blessings, are scattered on our path. They are more than enough to live our life only for Him and to ignite us to always give fresh gratitude.
What of times of unbroken health or if you have been visited by sickness, you have been through God’s infinite mercy, restored. Many have been tossing for weary months upon the bed of languishing, and many have gone into eternity, you and I are still in the land of the living. In fact we have to make the language of the Psalmist ours “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me”?
What Are We to Do?
*If we are truly grateful to God, we will honour Him
*We are to love the Lord for His innumerable blessings and His unmerited favours
*We ought to trust Him
*Walk before Him in sincerity of heart
*If we are sincerely grateful to God, we shall be careful to pay our vows unto the Lord.
In conclusion, gratitude to God for His benefits will tend to increase our delight in His service. Our gratitude and obedience are sure to rise and fall together. Gratitude to God for benefits received, recommends us to His favour, and ensures the bestowal of others yet more precious and soul satisfying. Gratitude keeps His hand ever open, bestowing His gifts yet more profoundly. This year makes it a duty to always be grateful unto the Lord no matter how insignificant the blessing may be.
Stay blessed!
Bound to be Thankful
Jan/Feb 2014
Thank You, Almighty God, for the privilege to see the month of March 2014. For us to obtain victory in our walk with the Almighty God, we must be careful to hear from Him and obey His instruction. Obedience to what the Master says accelerates our victory and makes us to retain it. In every miracle, there is always a human part we must play. If you carefully read the Gospel of John chapter 11, you will discover that when Jesus called Lazarus with a loud voice, Lazarus came forth. The first section pictures the supernatural, but the second part “untie him” portrays the human aspect. My area of concentration is Joshua chapter 10:1-28. In Joshua chapter ten, we see in the early verses how God gave His people a great victory through His mighty power, but there was still more of the battle to be fought. In verses 16 to 27 we see Israel, not the Lord, engaged in the fight. There is a great lesson here for us Christians. If you carefully read verse 16-18, it teaches us what we must have:
Control Over our Enemy: the five kings tried to hide themselves in a cave. When they were discovered, Joshua commanded that the cave be sealed up, thereby preventing the kings from escaping. It means authority on the enemy. How are you exercising your God given authority over your enemy? How does the above apply to you as a believer? When you got saved God changed you. However, your old, Adamic nature is still alive and well. That part of you that loves sin and the world is still functioning.
If you do not agree with me, just hang around a few more days with people that used to smoke or drink alcohol with, if you are not strong you begin to behave like them. Just like these kings, our enemy, the flesh, hides itself within us and runs out into the open from time to time to cause us trouble. It may be a problem with the tongue that will come out from time to time. It may be brief anger, hatred, backbiting, lust, prejudice, etc. Whatever that thing may be in your life, it must be controlled, or it will eventually come to control you and turn you into a victim. When temptation comes it is important to remember that part of the Fruit of the Spirit, “temperance”, it means self-control (Gal 5:23). As a child of God, you have no right to do as you please. Your body is the Lord’s and you have no business using His body for sin and wickedness (1 Cor 6:19-20). One proof of walking in the Spirit is self-control.
Confront Our Enemy: (verses 22-25) notice t
hat after the battle had been won, Joshua came back to that cave and brought these kings out and humiliated them by having his princes place their feet upon their necks. He confronted them openly and publicly pronounced the victory over them. Divinely speaking, we need to do the same thing. As a reader of this article you know about your secret sins and those problems you have with the flesh. The only way for you to get absolute victory over these things is for you to confront them – lay them out at the altar of sacrifice before the Lord and proclaim the victory over them now! The only day we have to fight our battles is today (now). Tomorrow may never dawn on us (Jam 4:17). Again, you and I will never prosper as children of God until our sins are handled God’s way (see Prov 28:13),
Conquer Our Enemy: verses 26-27 Joshua ensures victory over these five kings. He puts them to death. Friend, your flesh is good for nothing. Your old sinful nature and your fleshly lusts are good for nothing. The only way you and I can walk in victory before God is to put our flesh to death. Our flesh must die daily, or it will keep us from walking in power and victory (Gal 2:20). I don’t know what you are fighting today, but I know who can help you with that battle. Commit that battle to Jesus and let Him get you safely through the fight. I make these declarations on you and as you believe it, there will be a manifestation of the glory of God on your life and family in Jesus’ name.
I decree and declare unto you this month: you will march out of disappointments, failures and move into divine appointments and victory in Jesus’ name. Whatever you lay your hands on according to the will of God shall prosper in Jesus’ name. This is your miracle month. Everywhere you have been rejected will suddenly turn to acceptance, demotion will become a great promotion, and every good thing that wrongfully disappeared from your life will miraculously appear again, in the mighty name of Jesus. Stay connected to Him.
Obedience Answer to Victory
March 2014
Archives
It is my prayer that the month of April will be a month you will experience full Joy in Christ as your turn to Him in repentance in the name of Jesus. It is my prayer that you will celebrate this month by His special grace. The Lord will cause your ears to hear what will make people to celebrate with you in the mighty name of Jesus.
In the Gospel of Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” This statement was made while on the cross of Calvary. Our Lord Jesus did deeds that the rest of the world could not do. Although the world tried to pull Him down to its own level, but Jesus refused to be a part of the darkness of this world. He did not run away from our darkness, instead, He conquered it. And the place where that victory took place is a hill called Calvary, Golgotha, and the “place of the skull.”
The writers of the gospel say that Jesus made seven statements while on the cross. And His first words were, “Father, forgive them for…” Now we have heard and read those words several times, and they are precious to us and at the same time very touchy. But I think that a lot of people misunderstand what He is saying. And it is important that we don’t misunderstand the real meaning of that statement. It’s not just ordinary statement but a prayer.
Jesus is praying
What is Jesus praying about? You and I don’t usually pray on crosses or when we are passing through excruciating pain. We pray in our homes, work places, churches. We pray where we can get away from the noise and confusion of the crowd. But we don’t pray on crosses. You and I curse on crosses. We scream on crosses. We cry on crosses. Why? We experience pain on crosses.
You certainly don’t pray to forgive others on crosses. This is a true testimony, and it happened to me recently when somebody I thought would have given his life to Christ and asks to be forgiven for terrible abomination he committed, started fabricating lies against me and even went on to brainwash people against my person. In anger I prayed very dangerous prayers on the person, but when I was in a moment of reflection the Lord sat me down and as I was listening to the Holy Spirit He told me to change that prayer if He is to take over that battle.
It was a long discussion and by His enablement I withdrew and started praying for the person’s repentance. I thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, He is really a True Senior Partner and Great Teacher. If I had done it my own way, the devil would have cashed in on it as a devourer according to Malachi to quench great testimonies that are being heard in the Grace of God Ministries.
In human form we are constantly waging war on who had done us wrong seeking revenge. But, that was part of the law “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and blood for blood.” You can’t be on a cross and pray for others. You especially don’t pray for their forgiveness. And yet, that appears to be exactly what Jesus did as He hangs suspended between heaven and earth, dying on the cross. An eye for an eye has become old-fashioned. The in-thing is pray for forgiveness and leave the rest to God. Luke wrote “Jesus said, Father, forgive them,” It was not just once Jesus prayed this prayer, but several times. He prayed it when they whipped Him with the nine tails. He prayed when they thrusted a crown of thorns on His head, put a purple robe around His shoulders, and mocked Him by saying “Hail, King of the Jews”? God wipes away our sins and forgets them, never to remember them again. But that is not the word that is used here. Have a pleasant Easter, you stay connected to Him.
To be continued
Jesus Conquered your Darkness (Part 1)
April 2014
When Jesus said “forgive them,” The word that is used here is found also in Matthew 19:14. There it was used when children were brought to Jesus, and the apostles tried to keep the children from coming to Him. Jesus said, “Let the little children come….” The word that is translated “let” in “Let the little children come…” is the same word translated “forgive” when Jesus said “forgive them” on the cross. So what is Jesus saying? He is saying, “Let them come. Don’t interfere. Don’t stop them. Don’t hinder them from coming.”
That same word is used again in Matthew 27:48-49 when one of the soldiers reached up with a sponge filled with vinegar to wet the lips of Jesus. But the rest soldiers said “Leave Him alone, let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him.” There’s that word again, and this time it is translated, “Leave Him alone.” The word is used the same way in both places. “Don’t interfere. Don’t stop the children from coming. Don’t wet His lips with a sponge.” That is exactly what Jesus is saying on the cross when He prays for them. He is saying to God “Don’t rush to show your wrath. Hold your punishment. Don’t interfere.”
When Jesus prayed that prayer, God held back His anger. And even now the prayer of Jesus is still being honoured. God is still holding back His wrath. “Hold back the wrath,” Jesus prayed. “Give Roman soldiers who drove nails into His hands a chance to repent. Give angry crowds a chance to get right with God. Give all of the sinning and evil people a chance to be redeemed. I am paying the price, Father. Hold back Your wrath. Give them the chance to repent, to be cleansed, and made new.”
That’s exactly what 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Friend, you are reading this article now because the prayer that Jesus prayed 2,000 years is still being honoured by God in heaven. That’s why the sun shines on the good and the bad. That’s why the rain falls on the just and the unjust. That’s why sometimes evil people seem to prosper while good people don’t. Call to mind the SS man, Heinrich Priebke, who died in Italian prison. He lived over 90 years. As wicked as he was for he was responsible for the death of multitude in the concentration camps during World War II, his country refused to take his corpse. He was blessed with very old age to allow him time to repent, but he vehemently refused repentance.
As a reader of this article you need to always forgive your offender and pray for them for repentance and leave the rest battle in the hands of our avenger – God. The battle is not ours. When we surrender totally to God He will conquer our darkness for us. But one day the nail pierced hands of Christ will be taken away and God’s wrath will be unleashed. And what happens to us then depends on what we have done with Jesus. For 2,000 years the followers of Jesus have been going into the world telling people that Jesus paid the price on Calvary’s tree for their sins. For 2,000 years they have been inviting people to come and be forgiven of their sins. The prayer of our Lord Jesus is being honoured. Right now forgiveness is still offered. God will never force it on you. But He offers it, makes it available, and paid the price for it. It is ours for accepting. God is waiting to see what you are going to do this season. You are alive to read this article because God loves you unconditionally and without reservation and you too can do your part by recommitting yourself to Him or repenting from wicked ways to His marvellous light. Stay connected to Him. Concluded
Jesus Conquered your Darkness (Part 2)
Welcome to the month that brings the year to a half. It is my prayer that He that does not slumber nor sleep will continue to be our shield and buckler throughout the remaining months of the year in the mighty name of Jesus.
Our text is from 1 Samuel 18:20-30, “And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her; that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, thou shalt this day be my son-in-law in the one of twain. And Saul commanded his servants, saying commune with David secretly, and say, behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee; now therefore be the king’s son-in –law. And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? And the servants of Saul told him, saying on that manner spoke David. And Saul said that shall ye say to David, the king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hands of the Philistines…. And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saud; so that his name was much set by.”
Looking at 1 Samuel 18:20-30, it is clear that Saul hated David. He hated David because David was everything that Saul himself was not. He hated David because he walked with the Lord. 
Saul hated David and he was determined to see David put to death. (see 1 Sam 23:14). Saul was consumed by jealousy and hatred. The hatred and jealousy the king had for David were literally eating him alive. It is my prayer that God’s protective hand will be on you that your enemies will never see your down fall in the mighty name of Jesus.
I want you to take note of some things here: David was hated, not for evil in his life, but because his life was pleasing to God. You see, David had never wronged Saul, but Saul was after David anyway. It is inevitable that some people will be against you as you go through life. Just be sure they are against you for doing right, and not for doing wrong (see 1 Peter 4:14-15, Matthew 5:11-12). Sometimes people are against us for good reason. Sometimes they are right and we are wrong. If people are to find fault with us, let it not be because we are evil, hateful and mean; rather let it be because we are decent, good and living a holy life.
From this text we can see that the wicked are often jealous of a good man’s popularity. Saul’s behaviour to David reveals this in four ways, (a) there is anger (b) there is envy (c) there is insanity and (d) there is murder. The king’s fear led him to adopt the most desperate means to ruin and destroy David. In all David comported himself well. We learn three things from David’s encounter with the Philistine: (i) David fulfills the king’s requirement (2) David thwarts the king’s purpose (3) David wins the king’s daughter. What does it teach us? God can make the hindrances, obstacles, barriers, arrows that are thrown in the way of His children aid or help their progress. I pray God Almighty will reverse all the arrows enemies have thrown to you to be a blessing in the name of Jesus.
Who or what is your enemy that you are fighting now?
Exodus 23:22 says, “But if thou shalt indeed obey His voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.” Obedience will result in blessing, therefore we should obey and not to provoke Him. What are those things you are contending or fighting now or are fighting you? Do you believe the word of God that He is enemy to all your enemies. Those things that do not make your joy to be complete are your enemies. That particular thing when you remember, your heart aches is your enemy. Even all those powers both seen and unseen that are troubling you already knew that you have defeated them. The Saul of your life has already known that God has given you victory so declare “And he said unto him, fear not for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee: and thou shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee, and that also Saul my father knoweth” (1 Samuel 23:17). You see victory is assured if you can comport yourself wisely like David before your Saul. It is my prayer that this season all your enemies will be confounded and troubled in the name of our Lord Jesus. Stay blessed!
Your Enemy is Defeated
The Lord clearly instructed Moses in Numbers 1:47-53 “But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle…..And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.”
This passage tells us that God directed Moses to take a census
of all of males of the twelve tribes of Israel over the age of twenty – these were men who could be used to fight if needed. The tribe of Levi was not numbered among them. They were not to go to war or be used as warriors in the time of war. The tribe of Levi was appointed to the priestly office over Israel. They were not allowed to be warriors, but were assigned to keep the house of God. – care for the things of God. There is a reason for it. If you are not a fighter you are a peacemaker.
When the children of Israel came into the Promised Land, the Levites were not given land as the other trebles, but were given cities. These cities were placed strategically and approachably throughout the land. When you read verse fifty-three God said that the Levites would camp around the tabernacle so that God’s anger would not be on the people of Israel. Here is what we need to understand. God’s tabernacle was a holy place and only the tribe of Levi was allowed to enter it.
If anyone else came within a certain distance of it, they would be put to death. So the tribe of Levi was to camp around the tabernacle to keep the people safe as well as performing their duties as priests to keep the people focused on their one true God, Jehovah.
These cities according to Joshua 20:1-6 accepted people who were criminals (murderers). Once a person entered into the city; they could not be apprehended or punished even if they were guilty.
The Israelites were commanded to give every assistance to those seeking a city of refuge (asylum). To this end the roads to the cities had to be properly maintained and signs had to be posted along the way. What we need to understand is that God’s house is a holy place and we need to remember and respect that. Often times we treat God’s house like any other building, we need not take His house for granted. There are certain things we need not to do so that the wrath of God will not be upon us. Every born again believer is a Levite of today. Every born again believer is a priest serving in that capacity as the Levites of old.
To be continued
The Church the City of Refuge
July 2014
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