THE HEART OF SERVICE (PART 3)

 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER  4^TH.

TEXT: Philippians 4:4-8King James Version (KJV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

There is a lot more to life than what your eyes can see and what your ear can hear. We are admonished in Phil. 4:8 to fix our minds on things that are pure. Refuse to fix your mind on what will not help you, lift your eyes off mundane things and fix them on Jesus.

One of the reasons we find this hard to do, is the fact that we are self-centered. We become offended with God for blessing others and we begin to envy them and even become angry with them. But if you truly have the mind of Christ you will remember that the Bible tells us to rejoice with them who rejoice. Do not get offended because God is lifting others, instead, begin to rejoice in expectation of your turn. You are next in line for a great lifting.

If you find yourself getting jealous because somebody is being blessed, you are being influenced by a wrong spirit, pray it out of your heart. You must understand that each of us do not have the same destiny. Everyone has their own moment of glory and manifestation. There is time for everything, if your time has not come, be patient. If God chooses to bless those under you with something that you do not have, it does not make you less important. Stay where God has destined you to blossom, remember, godliness with contentment is great gain. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and in due season He will exalt you.

THE HEART OF SERVICE (PART 2).

 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3^RD.

TEXT: Philippians 4:4-8King James Version (KJV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.


5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.


6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known unto God.


7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

We are living in a time when people are said to be zealous in the service of God due to the benefits they enjoy and the glamour in a place. With this set of people their heart is very far from their service. They are the once who are moved by sight and so they are often men pleasers because of the favour they seek.

There are persons whose commitment to God is tied to what is happening in their lives. If all is well with them, they will be shouting “God is good”, but immediately things are not going the way they expect they will act to show that God is not just. If your faith is hinged on circumstances and situations, then it is very small. The book of Prov. says if you faint in the day of adversity your strength is small. Until the elementary principles in the Bible are influencing and manifesting in your life, you are still a babe in Christ. Being a babe in Christ is not determined by how long you have been a Christian. Maturity is determined by the depth of your submissiveness to God and how much of self has died in you. If you have been in church for donkey years but yet there is still the easy manifestation of your flesh, beloved, do not be quick to say you are mature. As long as we have people who are immature in their attitudes and disposition in life in the church, we will continually have problems. Where do you really belong?

THE HEART OF SERVICE (PART 1)

 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER. 2^ND.

TEXT: Philippians 4:4-8 King James Version (KJV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Whenever you are involved in service and the motive of your heart shifts from thanksgiving to complain you have forgotten where the Lord took you from. One of the reasons we cannot walk in thanksgiving is because we are too self-centered. Gratitude is an attitude that provokes a lot of joy no matter what the situation is. But when you praise God just because of what He has done, this is an indication that you are still at the elementary level of Christianity. When you are able to praise Him in spite of your situation and whether your needs have been met or not, then you are maturing in the faith.

Some of us will put up a quarrel with God because we did not receive what we have been expecting. Such persons often manifest a depleted zeal for God. Suddenly prayer will be considered a drudgery (a boring task) and lacking the fire and presence of God. 

If you are going through unpleasant situations and that is strong enough to cut short or off, your zeal for the Lord, your faith is already failing. The man who is content with whatever God gives him will continually live in peace. This man has learnt to be content no matter what and he is unperturbed by what is happening around him. He knows very well that all thing are working for his good because God is in charge. To him God’s faithful is more than an answers to his prayers, he sees God to be faithful, no matter what happens.

ACTIVATE THE GLORY WITHIN (PART 2)

    TUESDAY SEPTEMBER  1^ST.

TEXT: Job 32:7-9King James Version (KJV)

7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

There may be those born with silver spoon in their mouth but not all of them remain relevant. Until a child gain the understanding required to reign in the place of greatness the wealth of the father will soon become history. But it is amazing that most of the world great men and women were not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. They worked their way up the ladder activating the glory within that heaven destined for them to manifest to their generation.

Do something about the grace and glory of God on your inside, do not let it die. People may not have considered you as someone who has something to offer to your family not to talk about your generation, but know that there are people like you who were told they will amount to nothing, but today they have become the world’s celebrated. You will get there in the name of Jesus.

Speak to the greatness on your inside, call it forth and the power of God will set you free from whatever has been holding you back. If you have been afraid about your future, God is saying to you right now, my plans for you are good and not evil, plans to bring you to your expected end. Only let His hand rest upon you, you will be amazed the glory that will come forth out of your life. The hand of God will make the difference in your life and whatever is contending with your destiny, God Almighty will contend with it in Jesus name. I decree that your godly heritage will begin to manifest in Jesus name. From this day, the hand of God will begin to distinguish you in your generation in Jesus name. Amen. 

ACTIVATE THE GLORY WITHIN (PART 1)

 MONDAY AUGUST. 31^ST.

TEXT: Job 32:7-9King James Version (KJV)

7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

There is something great on your inside which heaven deposited in you and your generation is waiting to see it manifest. Do not die a cheap copy, be the original that God has destined you to be, because there is something exceptional about you. There is no end to creativity and there is no substitute for the genuine grace and ability given to you by God.

 There is a user of this devotional who really needs to know that God wants you to be the very best He created you to be. You do not have to go with the crowd or become somebody else, be who God destined you to be. There are unusual potentials in you that are yet to be tapped, do something about your destiny. Do not let any man or system corrupt it or keep you back. You are made to be cerebrated by your generation no matter what people may think about you.

I decree to somebody desperate for God’s intervention, from this day, as you pursue God’s divine purpose for your life, you will begin to rise till you become great in your generation. The hand of God shall become very visible upon your life.  Begin to make the impact that heaven destined you to make in Jesus name. Amen.  

DEEPER FELLOWSHIP (PART 3)

TEXT: Romans 8:5-8 King James Version (KJV)

⁵ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Before anyone becomes born again, that life was spiritually dead to the leading of God’s Spirit. When you got born again, the part of you that has been dead suddenly came to life. Before you met the Lord, your spirit man was dead. Eph. 2:1-2 reveals to us that only the soul that has been quickened by the Spirit of God has the capacity to fellowship with God. Before that quickening it was normal to walk habitually in sin which leads to death.

If we know just how much sin affects us, we won’t have any reason to toy with it. The sin nature in man takes him away from God. But there is a nature that draws him to and makes him stay with God, this is the redeemed nature. You cannot get close to God by following a pattern.

Jesus said to Nicodemus that no man can see or enter into the kingdom of God except he is born again and born of the Spirit. Except there is a deep communion with God that transforms your being, you cannot access the realm, you will be locked out. So, what should you then do? You have to get away from being religious and have just one pursuit; go after God for a love relationship. Whatever you do that is devoid of a personal and intimate love for God according to the scripture is religion. It takes a man who is truly hungry for the new birth experience to experience it. If you want to walk in the spirit you can. I encourage you to go after God with everything that you have, stop trying to be religious. Too many of us have left the reason why we came seeking for God and we are now settling down for mundane things. Get back to your first love for Jesus.

A DEEPER FELLOWSHIP (PART 2).

A DEEPER FELLOWSHIP (PART 2).  

TEXT: Romans 8:5-8King James Version (KJV)

⁵ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Any man who truly desire to grow and mature spiritually must see himself as God says in His word and must continually seek to become like Christ. Jesus said, “he that is born of the flesh is flesh and he that is born of the Spirit is spirit. The scripture says the first Adam was a carnal man but the second a life giving spirit; Jesus Christ is the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). The first Adam was a living soul but it was intended that by virtue of his fellowship with God, he would grow in his spirit man until his spirit man is saturated with the Spirit of God to dominate his soul man. The soulish man makes decision by reason of his intellect but the spirit man is led, inspired and moved to make decisions as a result of a knowing by the Spirit of God. This depends on the degree of sensitivity each child of God has.

 The spiritual man is able to connect with his Source, and does not need to go through any intermediary to draw inspiration and empowerment. Someone led by the spirit, may not have titles or position, but has authority and recognition in the realm of the Spirit.

The Scripture also says, those who are led by the Spirit are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). The prerequisite for sonship is being led by the Spirit of God, if you are not led by Him, you are not a son. Your title or position does not make you a son. As a son, you have a love relationship with God, and this makes it easy to connect with Him in a fellowship that is real and personal.