DOING GREAT THINGS FOR GOD (PART 2)

 AUG. 7^TH.   

TEXT: Acts 8:4-10King James Version (KJV)

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

When the Lord Jesus told his disciples that they will be witnesses for him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth in Acts 1 it seem as though they forgot what he told them as they were busy having fellowship in Jerusalem. Acts 2:42-47 reveals to us that they were having a nice time to the extent that they were not doing much in evangelism as verse 47 says it was the Lord adding to them. Many Christians and churches are like this, they are waiting and praying for the Lord to bring the people for the meeting, when actually the Lord has been waiting for them to go get the people. But when they refused to move to Samaria the word of the Lord was still fulfilled as the persecution that rose up made it impossible for them to continue their easy fellowship.

As they were forced to move into God’s divine agenda, then Philip went down to Samaria and God began to manifest Himself through one man. He went to Samaria and the glory followed him. God is looking for people who will take Him at his word and cause signs to follow wherever they go.

If you want to see God move in extraordinary ways, you have to make up your mind to live for Him. God will only send those who are willing, to go on a mission for Him. Ask God to release the spirit of prayer upon you and make you a channel through which He will flow to save souls, heal the sick and cast out devils. Do some great things for God today. 

DOING GREAT THINGS FOR GOD (PART 1)

AUG. 6TH.
TEXT: Acts 8:4-10King James Version (KJV)

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

From our text for today, it became clear that sometimes, troubles are allowed by God to move us into fulfilling purpose. The persecution and attack against the church in Jerusalem was the reason the apostles were driven out of their comfort zone and as they were scattered Philip went to Samaria. When you consider the glory that came to Samaria after the persecution, you will agree that some troubles are useful.

We have a lot to learn from this story. Philip was just one man, not an entire ministry and when he preached God moved greatly. This was not Peter, John or James that were well known, he was a deacon and was only anointed to serve tables, but when he went to Samaria, demons left people screaming. We do not need to experience persecution before we step out to do great things for God. Pray and let God use you and the glory will follow.

You will see extraordinary miracles this year, but you have to be strong and know your God. You have to be purpose driven, passionate and ready to stand your ground no matter what happens and as you do, there will be signs, wonders and miracles. 

SPIRITUAL SENSITIVITY (PART 2)

TEXT: Habakkuk 2:1King James Version (KJV)

2 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

Being able to hear from God requires you to on purpose become attentive to Him. If you do not have an ear open to Him, you cannot hear anything. Like Habakuk, you have to position yourself and observe what He would say.

The enemy and all intruders are patiently lying in wait to catch you napping, but you must not give him that chance. The Lord has called you into something serious the assignment and you cannot be caught sleeping. There is a call for you to pray against all of the enemy’s attacks. God’s angels are waiting for those who will travail in prayers that’s why we must rise up and take our place as watchmen.

If you want your spirit man to be stirred up and to stay in God’s divine agenda, you need to get passionate for God. If you decide to sleep carelessly, Heaven will find it necessary to replace you. The Spirit of the Lord is calling you to travail and build your spirit man. When you travail, you cause angels to find delight in visiting you, because as you pray and decree the word of God the scriptures in psalms tells us they excel in strength, empowered thereby.

By failing to pray you reduce the manifestation of God in your life; there will be no extraordinary manifestation of the spirit. But as you pray God’s word comes alive and the angels become more active around your life. The Bible says as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth, so, your bringing forth for 2015 is tied to your readiness to travail. Don’t give up, keep travailing.

SPIRITUAL SENSITIVITY (PART 1)

TEXT: Habakkuk 2:1King James Version (KJV)

2 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

Beloved, God is calling us to awake from  slumber and not be asleep. Great men do not love sleep, when they sleep it is for strength, people who do not understand the purpose of life just sleep on. The Bible says at night when men slept the enemy came and sow tares. You have to make it a point of duty to check what the Lord is saying, and this can only be done if you have a relationship with Him. Your bringing forth this year is tied to travailing in the secrect place.

 If you love sleep, you will be an easy prey for the enemy.

Infirmity is sown in sleep and becomes stronger at night, because night time is the hour for the power of darkness. If you are able to stand when it is the hour of the enemy, then you are very strong spiritually. Many great men did not get to where they got to by following the norm, they did the abnormal, so they are getting abnormal amazing supernatural results.

Nothing must escape your spiritual radar if you desire to succeed, you should be able to see what is coming to you miles away. Your spiritual signals should be sharp; your ears able to hear, and your eyes able to see way ahead of the enemy. Your spirit commune in deep fellowship with God when you decide to be spiritually sensitive and alert, then you can pick up heavenly signals. But until you make that decision, you cannot hear anything. Grow your walk with God and see the glory that follows.

CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR GREATNESS (PART 3)

    

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 11:10-25King James Version (KJV)

10 These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.

11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.

12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance.

15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.

17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!

18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord.

19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.

21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.

23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.

25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

When David went to battle with the Philistines, he had missed Bethlehem so much, and had been in that stronghold for a long time. It was needful that he stayed in the cave of Adullam to avoid unnecessary trouble for king Saul was after his life. Though he has been anointed as the next king of Israel, it was not yet time for him to be crowned King and this was part of the reason why Saul was after his life, so he had to stay in the cave for it was his stronghold.

Sometimes in your walk with God, you may need to stay in a particular location for a while, do not get out of your stronghold of protection, wait till God says it is time. If you surround yourself with people who truly care, they will do everything to keep you covered as they are willing to risk their lives to help you stay covered. The right set of people around you is such a blessing.

The fact that you have been anointed, the fact that you have certain potentials or opportunities does not mean you should jump out to make things happen. There is no way you can run faster than your moment of glory, wait on God’s leading.

If God had given you a revelation of what you ought to do for Him, surround yourself with the right persons and wait till the time He releases you, and when that time comes, people will wonder where you have been all along.

Don’t try to reveal or promote yourself.  God has not called us to make a name for ourselves, if you exalt yourself you will be brought down, but if God lifts you up, nobody can bring you down. Stay with God.

HYMN- OPEN MY EYES, THAT I MAY SEE

Memory Verse: Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law. (Psalm 119:18)

TEXT: Psalm. 40:8, Prov. 16:9, Matt. 13L6, Lk.8:18, John 7:17

The Scriptures teach that our faith in Christ employs all of our God- given senses:

SIGHT-"Look unto me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 45:22).

 HEARING-"Hear, and your soul shall live" (Isaiah 55:3).

SMELL-"Thy name is like ointment poured forth" (Song of Solomon 1:3).

TOUCH-"If I may but touch His garment, I shall be well" (Matthew 9:21).

TASTE- "O taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8).

In order to receive God's truth properly, then, we must have our entire being alive and alert to His every prompting. In general, most Christians do deliberately and dramatically disobey God. Instead we simply do not heed by being sensitive to His leading in the small details of our lives. How important that we learn the lesson taught by this hymn text that we should have seeing eyes, hearing ears, a verbal communication of the truth, and a loving heart sharing God's love. All of these are possible as we are illuminated by the Holy Spirit during times of quiet waiting.

Clara Scott, author and composer of this hymn, taught music in the Ladies Seminary at Lyons, Iowa. Mrs. Scott was a prolific composer of vocal instrumental music, including a book of anthems, The Royal Anthem B published in 1882. These words have since been widely used to help believe have a greater awareness of God's will for their lives and a readiness to obey (James 1:22).

Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me; place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see; open my eyes-illumine me, Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth Thou sendest clear; and while the wave-notes fall on my ear, ev'rything false will disappear. Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see; open my ears-illumine me, Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth ev'rywhere. Open my heart and let me prepare love with Thy children thus to share. Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see; open my heart-illumine me, Spirit divine! 

PRAYER POINT: Ask God to activate your senses for receiving His truth and to make you more sensitive to the needs of those who need to hear the warm truth and to experience His love TAKEN FROM “AMAZING GRACE; 366 INSPIRING HYMN STORIES FOR DAILY DEVOTION”

CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR GREATNESS (PART 2)

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 11:10-25King James Version (KJV)

10 These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.

11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.

12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance.

15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.

17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!

18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord.

19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.

21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.

23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.

25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

As true followers commit themselves to the work of their leader, they also ignite a strong sense of responsibility in the heart of their leader. In this kind of relationship, there is a sense of responsibility to make one and all succeed. It is far from the parasitic kind of relationship where people are mainly passionate about their selfish interest. When this is at work in a place it create the atmosphere for true greatness.

A true leader knows there are certain things that are not necessary, especially if he knows that it would put the lives of his people at risk, though he knows those who are ready to go the extra mile.

There is the service that someone would give and you know that in no time this fellow will rise to a greater dimension of glory. Persons like this are the kind a true leader would be too glad to accept and work with.

A good leader is concerned about the good of those he leads. He is passionate to takes his followers to the fulfillment of their destinies. He does not kill their destinies in order to fulfill his own. He helps them become what God wants them to be as they commit themselves to help him succeed. Those who walk with a true leader can tell the difference because they can see the value that has been added to their lives over time as they all rise to true greatness. Are you in the right setting? Think about this.