BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

Monday, May 11th. 2020
Pastor Chris

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” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).

God wants our lives to be void of covetousness; don’t lust after what belongs to others. Be content with what you have. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dream or desire to attain greater levels of success; rather, it emphasizes being fulfilled and understanding that what you have is enough to get whatever else you want. But the truth is that there isn’t really anything that you don’t have.

The Bible says all things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:21); better than that, Christ is in you, and Christ is everything. So, in Him you have all things. When the crippled beggar at the gate of the temple called ‘Beautiful’ asked Peter and John for alms, Peter didn’t say, “I don’t have what you’re asking for,” and walk away; he knew he had something, and what he had was enough to produce whatever else may be required. He used what he had: the Name of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, to effect a cure and restore life to the man’s hitherto dead and crippled limbs.

Always be conscious of what you have: the power and glory of Christ in your spirit. Your heart is the habitation of the Lord; do you know what that means? The ability of God is operational in you. How could anyone know this and ever be in lack or need or be envious of others? That’s why this knowledge is coming to you now, so you’d be content and confident in who you are, what you have, and all that Christ is to you and in you, and has wrought in your spirit.

Never think, “If I only had this or that”; you have what’s most important: Christ; and that’s all you need. Christ in you is the hope, the guarantee that everything else you could ever require is already in you. Glory to God!

PRAYER
Precious Father, you’re my all; I thank you for filling me with yourself, which is the greatest and best of all—Christ in me! That’s my assurance that everything I could ever require is already in me as I produce fruits of righteousness for your glory, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: ||

|| 1 Corinthians 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 5:31-47
1 Kings 7-8

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 7:10-24
Proverbs 7

HUMILITY AND GREATNESS

Tuesday, May 12th. 2020
Pastor Chris

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble (James 4:6).

When Jesus walked the earth, He demonstrated humility. When it was time for Him to be baptized, He didn’t feel superior to John the Baptist, even though He was the Son of God. Rather, He allowed the Scriptures to be fulfilled (Read Matthew 3:13-15 NKJV). That’s because truly great people are humble and motivated by one thing only: fulfilling God’s Word; doing things God’s way. They’re also inspired to serve.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever must be great amongst you, must have the heart of a servant” (Matthew 20:26). Not only did He say this to them, He acted it by washing the feet of His disciples. Then He explained His action, saying, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:13-17 NKJV).

In Philippians 2, we read again about His unparalleled humility. Though He was Himself God, He humbled Himself and died a criminal’s death in our behalf. But see the result of His humility: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV). Hallelujah!

Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”; meaning, emulate His humility. It’s the pathway to greatness; there’re no shortcuts. Pride goes before a fall, but humility promotes.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the enlightenment of the Scriptures. I’m a product of your Word, and I walk in humility and love, conscious of your grace that pilots me in my upward and forward journey of greatness, in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour [is] humility. ||

|| Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ||

|| Ephesians 5:1 AMPC Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 6:1-24
1 Kings 9

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 7:25-40
Proverbs 8

POWER TO HEAL

Wednesday, May 13th. 2020
Pastor Chris

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk (Acts 3:6).

The Christian isn’t the sick, wanting to be healed. Sadly, that’s been the understanding of many. Being born again, you have the God-life; the “imperishable” life. As Jesus said, the Christian has the power to heal; he’s called of God to take healing to the world. Study the Scriptures and you’d find that’s what Jesus did; the Bible says He went about doing good, healing ALL that were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38).

The Apostles did the same thing; they ministered healing to the sick. We read, for example, about Peter and John in Acts 3, going into the temple and were attracted to a lame beggar who sat at the gate of the temple, asking alms of everyone entering and leaving the temple. Peter’s response was very inspiring; he said, “…Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” (Acts 3:6-7).

Notice that what Peter had to give him wasn’t “prayer” or the power to pray. This is where some Christians miss it; they think God gave us “power to pray for the sick”; no! He gave us power to heal the sick. Read Matthew 10:1; it says, “And when he (Jesus) had called unto him his twelve disciples, HE GAVE THEM POWER AGAINST UNCLEAN SPIRITS, TO CAST THEM OUT, AND TO HEAL ALL MANNER OF SICKNESS AND ALL MANNER OF DISEASE.” Jesus gave us power to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease; not some manner, but ALL. So, it makes no difference what the case is; you have power to heal it.

Jesus said in Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER.” Put what you’ve got to work. Refuse to allow the devil run rampage in your life or in the lives of your loved ones in the form of sickness. You’re a healer; walk in this consciousness.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for your grace and glory at work in me to minister healing to the sick. I acknowledge your divine life in me that dispels sickness, disease and infirmities, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Matthew 10:7-8 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. ||

|| Mark 3:14-15 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 6:25-59
1 Kings 10-11

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Proverbs 9

THE “KNOWING” OF FAITH

Thursday, May 14th. 2020
Pastor Chris

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

Our relationship with the Lord is one of faith. It makes no difference how you “feel” outwardly; physical feelings have nothing to do with it. Oftentimes, our experience of Him and with Him can’t be described with human words; but then, there’s a deep inner “knowing,” an awareness in your spirit.

It brings to mind the account of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5. She had suffered hemorrhage for twelve years, and the doctors weren’t able to help her. The Bible says, “When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment...And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; AND SHE FELT IN HER BODY that she was healed of that plague” (Mark 5:27-29). How did she know that the “feeling” she felt in her body was one of healing? It was her faith at work!

The Bible doesn’t say, “She saw that the bleeding had stopped,” but that “she felt in her body that she was healed.” That’s the feeling of faith. In the case of the lame man at the gate of the temple called Beautiful as recorded in Acts 3, when Peter ministered to him, the Bible says his feet and ankle bones received strength (Acts 3:7). Bones don’t feel, so it couldn’t have been a physical “feeling.” But something got injected into his feet and bones, and God knew, and said his feet and ankle bones received strength. The result was that the man leapt and walked. His faith was operational; he responded, and in his response, the power of the word spoken by Peter was manifested, and his miracle happened.

It also reminds of what we read about David; the Bible says he “perceived” that God had confirmed him king over Israel. This wasn’t mere mental or physical knowledge; it was a knowing in his spirit. There’s the knowledge of faith, the hearing of faith, the feeling or perception of faith, as you’re sensitive to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the Word.

PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the earnest of the Spirit which you’ve given me. I’m sensitive to your leading and guidance and know what to do at all times; my profiting through the Word is evident, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Romans 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. ||

|| Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. ||

|| James 2:18-26 NKJV But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, [ "Abraham believed God, and it was] [ accounted to him for righteousness."]And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent [them] out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 6:60-71
1 Kings 12-14

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 9:1-10
Proverbs 10

GLORIFIED IN HIM .

Friday, May 15th. 2020
Pastor Chris

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified (Romans 8:30).

Jesus Christ is the effulgence of the Father’s glory, the express image of His Person (Hebrews 1:3). And that’s exactly what He’s made us; we’ve been glorified in Him. He said in John 17:22, “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”

The Christian is the fruit of Christ’s suffering. The Bible talks about the glory that should follow His sufferings (1 Peter 1:11); we’re that glory; the joy He saw that made Him endure the Cross and despise the shame (Hebrews 12:2). Thus, for the Christian, there’s no more shame, because Jesus already bore your shame. He paid the price for you to live a glorious life. Everything required for your success has been consummated. He died so you can live a life of honour, dignity and excellence. Hallelujah!

The most beautiful part of His vicarious death is that it didn’t end with the grave. He rose triumphantly back to life on the third day. Blessed be God! Just as death couldn’t hold Him, nothing today can hinder your glorious life in Him. If you couldn’t walk, rise up and walk! Walk out of that sickness, for the glory has come: Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! He’s brought us victory, success, health and prosperity. He’s brought us into His glory and ordained us to manifest the same in the earth: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

CONFESSION
My life is the manifestation and testimony of God’s grace and glory; His wisdom and righteousness are revealed and evident in me. I’m His light in a dark world, and I impact my world with the righteousness of God in my spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 1 Peter 2:9 AMPC But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own [a]purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. ||

|| John 17:22 AMPC I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 7:1-24
1 Kings 15-17

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 9:11-19
Proverbs 11

LIVING BY FAITH

Saturday, May 16th. 2020
Pastor Chris

(For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

These profound words of the Spirit penned by Paul the apostle to the Corinthian Christians give a succinct and precise overview of the Christian life: we live by faith, not by sensory perception. The same truth is reiterated in Romans 1:17: “…The just shall live by (his) faith.”

It’s imperative to understand that Christianity is a life of faith; it has nothing to do with your senses. You were born again by faith, and you can only live the Christian life successfully by faith; there’s no other way!

Faith is a lifestyle; it’s not something you pick up to use whenever you want to get something from the Lord. You can strengthen your faith, stir it, grow it or increase it. Living by faith is living from your spirit according to God’s Word. You look into the mirror of God and are metamorphosed (changed, transfigured) into the same image of God’s glory that you see, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).

As you do this, the forces of life in the Kingdom are revealed to you and released into your world. They work within you and attract to you the men, resources, circumstances and materials that are consistent with your new nature in Christ Jesus. When you declare that you have dominion over the devil, the world, and its circumstances, that reality is established as you proclaim. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 11:6 says without faith, it’s impossible to please God; that means you can’t live for Him. To please Him is to live by faith every day, meaning that everything in your life is directed according to His Word; your confidence is on the eternal realities of the Kingdom and not the earthly, transient, temporal circumstances of life (2 Corinthians 4:18). Glory to God!

CONFESSION
My actions, reactions, thoughts, words and responses to situations and circumstances shall conform to the express will of the Father by the Word, not according to sensory perceptions. My life is regulated by the eternal realities of the Kingdom, and the blessings therein are unleashed into my world. I live victoriously every day, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal. ||

|| Hebrews 11:1-13 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God. 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 7:25-8:1-11
1 Kings 18-19

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 9:20-27
Proverbs 12

CONSECRATED UNTO HIM

Sunday, May 17th. 2020
Pastor Chris

These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office (Numbers 3:3).

Consecration is a word mostly used in the Old Testament section of the Bible in reference to items that were to be set apart as holy for sacrifices and worship. It’s also used to describe the “setting apart” of the priests who were to be dedicated to the Lord. It generally refers to devoting or sacredly setting apart anyone or anything to the worship or service of the Lord.

In the Old Testament, the tribe of Levi were thus consecrated to the service of God in the priestly order (Numbers 3:12). The Hebrews consecrated or devoted their fields and cattle, and sometimes the spoils of war, to the Lord (Leviticus 27:28-29). Also, according to the Law, the first-born of both man and beast were consecrated to God. For us in the New Testament, the Scriptures describe us as consecrated to the Lord; holy and sanctified, not because of our works, but by God’s choice.

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” However, too many of God’s people aren’t living in the vital reality of this consecrated life. As a result, they’ve missed out on the blessings of living and functioning with the knowledge that they’ve indeed been set apart unto God; set apart from sin, sickness, poverty and death, unto righteousness, holiness, victory, prosperity and divine health. See yourself this way and walk accordingly.

Ephesians 1:4 says, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” We’re His “called out” ones; His chosen and sanctified ones. No wonder we’re holy and without blame before Him in love. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
What a blessing to be chosen and sanctified unto God for His divine use! I’m holy and sanctified, because I belong to Jesus; my life is dedicated to Him in worship and service, and His righteousness is expressed in and through me always. Thank you, blessed Lord, for setting me apart for holiness, success, victory, prosperity and divine health, in Jesus Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Exodus 28:41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. ||

|| Exodus 19:6 AMPC And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated, set apart to the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites. ||

|| Revelation 1:6-8 AMPC And formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen (so be it). ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 8:12-30
1 Kings 20-21

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Proverbs 13

IF HE ISN’T LORD OF ALL, HE ISN’T LORD AT ALL.

Monday, May 18th. 2020
Pastor Chris

The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all) (Acts 10:36).

A certain man had just given his life to Christ but was still being buffeted by the devil. He called on the Lord complaining, “I thought that with you in my life, I wouldn’t have any more problems!” The Lord, in His response, showed the man how he had given Him only one room in his entire house. In that revelation, God was in that one room when the devil came into the house, fought the man and wounded him.

The man thought about it and said, “All right Lord, I give you three additional rooms.” That night, the devil came again and troubled him. This time, he was mad at God. He asked angrily, “I’ve now given you four rooms and still you allowed the devil in. What more should I do?” Then the Lord answered him kindly, “The house isn’t mine; you gave me four rooms in your house and the devil can’t come into any of those rooms.”

Finally, the man got the message and said, “All right, Lord, I turn the entire house over to you; it’s all yours now.” The next night, the devil came again, but there was a new owner. God was at the gate and the devil couldn’t come in. That’s what happens when Jesus has it all in your life.

Christianity isn’t just a casual acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Saviour; He wants to be Lord (Master or Boss) of your life, not just legally but vitally. If He isn’t Lord of your life and everything about you, then He isn’t your Lord at all! He said in Luke 9:23, “...If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Today, this statement is largely interpreted as enduring the persecution, ridicule, harassment and criticism the world throws at us, but at the time of Jesus, “taking up a cross” meant going to one’s death by crucifixion. That Jesus implied this is obvious from His next statement: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Luke 9:24).

True consecrated Christianity isn’t a flippant, casual relationship but a radical commitment to Christ and His cause. You’re to give Him your all, and live for Him fully and truly. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
I boldly declare that Jesus is Lord of my life; He’s the Lord over my finances, family, career and all that concerns me. He’s my all and my life is for His glory now and forever. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Luke 9:23-24 And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. ||

|| Matthew 6:24 AMPC No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be [a]against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon ([b]deceitful riches, money, possessions, or [c]whatever is trusted in). ||

|| 1 John 2:15-17 AMPC Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. 17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 8:31-47
1 Kings 22

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 10:14-21
Proverbs 14

YOU BELONG TO HIM

Tuesday, May 19th. 2020
Pastor Chris

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:20).

I love the story I heard many years ago of a Chinese brother. It’s a powerful expression of our consecration to the Lord and oneness with Him. The story goes that he was travelling on the same train as three gentlemen who wanted to play a card game that required a fourth person. So, they asked him, “Sir, would you mind joining us to play this game?” He replied, “Oh, I’m sorry. I would have joined you, but I’m not here with my hands.”

“You’re not here with your hands?” they chorused in bewilderment. “No, I’m not,” he affirmed. They looked at him closely; he seemed complete and his hands didn’t look like prostheses. “So, what about these hands here?” they queried. “They’re not mine,” he replied. Now they thought he was out of wits. Knowing their thoughts, he quickly spoke up and explained: “I’ve been bought with a price. I now belong to Jesus. These hands now belong to Him and I only use them for what He wants.” He then went ahead and explained the Gospel to them to receive Christ.

What a beautiful thought this is! What a mindset this brother had! This is what happens when you understand the significance of the salvation you’ve received from Christ. You recognize that you’re not your own; it’s no longer you that live, but Christ that lives through you. You belong to Him, and can only do the things that He approves; only those things that please Him. You glorify Him in your spirit, soul, and body, for they’re His. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
I’ve been crucified with Christ; it’s no longer I who live, but Christ lives in and through me. Therefore, I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord, which is my reasonable service. I glorify the Lord in my spirit, soul, and body, making them vents for His righteousness. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ||

|| 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 8:48-59
2 Kings 1-3

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 10:22-33
Proverbs 15

YOU’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR LIFE.

Wednesday, May 20th. 2020
Pastor Chris

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (Hebrews 11:1-3).

Our theme scripture is quite instructive; it reveals an important faith-principle with which you can make your life excellent, from glory to glory. It says the things that are obvious to our natural eyes weren’t made of things that appear; they came out of things that aren’t observable to the senses. The context shows that these things came from words, for it says, “Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God.”

In Genesis 1, we read that God spoke and brought order, beauty and form to a world that was formless, chaotic and in darkness. He framed the world. In the same way, your life and your future have been framed, only that this time, it was by you. What you’re going to be like in the next few months and years is already planned and laid out by none other than you! And if you currently don’t like what you have (that is, how your life has turned out), you alone can change it.

Some people may argue with this, but God’s Word lets us know that’s how it is. You planned the life you’re living now with your words. You are today exactly what you described yourself to be years ago. You’re responsible for the quality of life you have today. Of course, there would have been several other factors of influence: sociological, environmental, family, etc., but they only gave you a foundation; they gave you material with which to build your life. Whatever you eventually built on that sub-structure came from you.

If you’re having a wonderful life that you’re really glad about, you built it. If you’re living in defeat and as a victim, it’s also the result of your tongue-work. God isn’t responsible for the life you’re living. He gives you a vision; He shows you a picture and lets you know the kind of life He wants you to have. He may even be specific and tell you exactly what He wants your life to be. However, He’s not going to build it for you. He’ll only deliver the necessary materials and tools into your hands.

There’re also those materials you’d have to acquire, and He’ll show you where they are and how to acquire them. The responsibility is yours to locate them, take possession of them and use them to build your victorious life.

CONFESSION
I take charge of my life and make it what I want it to be in line with God’s will for me. I give form, beauty and order to my world through the energy of my words. I live in righteousness, victory, health, success and prosperity, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. ||

|| Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. ||

|| 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 9:1-41
2 Kings 4-5

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 11:1-11
Proverbs 16

YIELD YOURSELF TO HIM

Thursday, May 21st . 2020
Pastor Chris

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:13-14).

The Greek word translated “yield” above is “Paristemi,” and it also means to present. In other words, you’re to present yourself unto God as one who’s alive from the dead. You might ask, “Why do I have to present myself to God again? Isn’t my acceptance of His salvation enough?”

First, for the Lord to instruct us to present ourselves to Him means He chose us for that purpose. You can’t give God something He doesn’t want or hasn’t chosen. God, in His sovereignty, instructs us to present ourselves to Him, and it behooves us to do just that. Secondly, we have an example to follow in Jesus, “... who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God...” (Hebrews 9:14).

Also, in Romans 6:9-10, we read that “…Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” In the same manner that Christ died unto sin once and now lives unto God, we must consider ourselves dead to sin but alive unto God (for indeed, we are). In other words, you must live for Him and unto Him, because you belong to Him.

Jesus didn’t merely send some angels to save you; He took your place of condemnation and died in your place. He paid the ultimate price for you. Having accepted the salvation He purchased for you with His life, you have to accept the responsibility that comes with it, and live as one who understands the worth and value of that sacrifice. And you do that by consecrating your life to Him; by living for Him and serving Him with whole-hearted devotion, keeping His Word, fulfilling His purpose for your life, and producing works of righteousness. Hallelujah!

PRAYER
Blessed Jesus, thank you for the ultimate price you paid for my salvation, and the resultant gift of righteousness which I’ve received. I yield myself to you as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable as an instrument of righteousness, to establish your will, and manifest your goodness, mercies and grace in the earth. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ||

|| Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 10:1-21
2 Kings 6-7

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 11:12-19
Proverbs 17

TRAINING YOURSELF IN THE FAITH-LIFE .

Friday, May 22nd . 2020
Pastor Chris

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

The Bible says, “The Just shall live by faith”; that means faith is our lifestyle. Therefore, you must train yourself in the faith-life. When you came into Christ, God gave you a perfect life and showed you how to live that life to the full. His will is for you to be in charge and in control of your life, with everything working out right for you. But the extent to which you live that life is a function of your faith. That’s why it’s so important for you to understand how faith works, and to learn to use what you’ve got.

For example, when you feel some discomfort in your body, the first thing shouldn’t be to call the doctor or dash to the drug store. Speak to your body. You say, “I speak perfection, health and wholeness to all the systems of my body; they respond to the divine life in me and function rightly, in the Name of Jesus!” Stick to the Word, and you’ll surely have a testimony!

Sometimes, when people face challenges, they’d say, “I’ve been using my faith, but nothing is happening.” That’s because they’re struggling to make their faith work. Speak faith-filled words ever before trouble shows up, so that when it does, your faith will be steadfast.

Learn from Jesus: He talked to trees, winds, waves, water, fishes, food, etc., letting us know that everything in life has intelligence and that sound conveys energy. Therefore, apart from talking to your body to be in health, learn to talk to things in your home, your work tools, your money—everything in your care and under your watch—they all have intelligence. Use your mouth to retain their value and keep them perfect.

It makes no difference the circumstances you face; stick to the Word. Maintain your confession, and the only guaranteed outcome would be the triumph of your faith. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
I consciously disregard temporal circumstances and shift my gaze and focus on the eternal realities of our heavenly Kingdom. Irrespective of contrary winds and opposition, my faith grows by the Word, prevails and triumphs. I speak perfection to my health, finances, family and all that concerns me, and they respond to my faith-filled proclamations, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. ||

|| 2 Corinthians 4:18 AMPC Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting. ||

|| Mark 11:20-24 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 10:22-42
2 Kings 8-9

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 11:20-29
Proverbs 18

Say these out loud! Use your mouth to make even more progress now.



#TALKINGSESSION 21ST MAY.
KINDLY SAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for guiding me in the path of life and leading me in the way of supernatural success and permanent prosperity. My progress and advancement are evident and unstoppable. I am prospering in all that I do, because I live in, and by the Word, inspired always by the Holy Spirit to produce excellence. Thank You for Your wisdom that propels me to act on Your Word always. I make my way prosperous and consistently
experience good success as I meditate on the Word and speak it forth with boldness. The power of God’s Spirit is activated in my life! Even now, I am strengthened with might by the Holy Ghost in my inner man! I can do all things through Christ who energizes and infuses me with miracle-working ability! I am sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency! Hallelujah!

I flourish daily like the palm tree because I am continually filled with the Spirit. As I speak in tongues, I am edified; my spirit is lifted to function from a vantage position of boldness, audacity, and victory in Christ Jesus. Grace and peace are multiplied in my life! I don’t struggle, but enjoy unstoppable growth and progress as I receive guidance and light from the Word, in Jesus’ Name. Amen. Hallelujah!

HE’S THE ONLY WAY OUT.

Saturday, May 23rd . 2020
Pastor Chris

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

There’re three kinds of sin. The first one is inherited sin. The Bible says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). The sin of Adam was passed to all men. Everyone that came from Adam became an heir of Adam’s transgression. How terrible! But that’s the reality.

The second one is “imputed sin.” Imputed sin is based on Law, and you may not be the guilty one. In Joshua 7, we read how the children of Israel paid dearly for the sin committed by just one man, Achan. Having recently conquered a greater nation, the children of Israel were preparing to go wipe out a smaller one. Before going to capture Jericho, God had instructed them, “When you get to that place, don’t keep anything that’s theirs; destroy everything” (Joshua 7:11 AMPC).

But Achan took a coat and other items, and hid them for himself (Joshua 7:20-21). And the result? The whole country (Israel) lost the battle. The man’s sin was imputed to the whole country. Aside the inheritance, Adam’s transgression was also imputed to all men. You didn’t have to be guilty personally; it’s a class sin; everybody becomes part of it. It’s like when the President of your country signs a bad deal or initiates a bad policy; it affects the entire nation.

The third class of sin is “personal sin.” This is the one that you committed by yourself. Clearly, everyone born into this world has the sin-nature and requires salvation. If a man says he’s free from personal sin, how about inherited sin, and or imputed sin? But thanks be unto God! Salvation—the deliverance of man from his fallen nature and the depravity of sin and its effects, the recreation of his spirit and the restoration of fellowship with God—is possible and available through Jesus Christ! He’s the only way out!

This is why we preach the Gospel; that all men may believe in Jesus Christ and receive remission of sins and the life and nature of God. Hallelujah!

PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank you for the privilege to receive the Gospel which is your power to save, heal and deliver. I pray for the unconverted in the world, that the scales would fall off their eyes to recognize their sins, and accept your provision for remission in Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Acts 13:38-39 ASV Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: 39 and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. ||

|| Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 11:1-16
2 Kings 10-12

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 11:30-34
Proverbs 19

USE WHAT HE GAVE YOU.

Monday, May 25th . 2020
Pastor Chris

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth (Philippians 2:10).

I learnt very early, as a young Christian, how to put the Word of God to work. I wanted to deal with issues and situations right away, using the Word.

For example, back then, if I mistakenly dashed my foot against something, I’d immediately place my hand on it and say, “Heal, in Jesus’ Name!” I was learning to use authority. I might still experience some pain, but I found out I had no swelling, and I knew it was supposed to swell. Instead of getting worse, it quickly got back to normal! If it was a cut and it was bleeding, I’d say, “Seal up, in Jesus’ Name! No bleeding!” and I continued with whatever I was doing.

As I practised the Word like that, and I saw the result, I testified to those around me, sharing my experience of the efficacy of the Word of God. I practised the Word on my body, using the all-conquering Name of Jesus and authority that He gave us.

I remember one night, as a teenager, after an encounter with Juju priests and their shrines, while sleeping, I felt some weight on me, pressing on me; it was a spiritual attack; the only time I ever experienced such. I found myself struggling to call the Name of Jesus, but I couldn’t even open my mouth. I finally got that figure off me, as I called out, “Jesus!” Then I went straight on my knees and said, “You devil, in the Name of Jesus, you’d never repeat this; and wherever you are, I bind you, in the Name of Jesus! Never again!” From that day till now, it never happened again, and never will.

Use what you have. Use the Name of Jesus. Otherwise, the devil will prey on you. Use that name to change the atmosphere in your home; use it to change the state of your business. Reign and rule over circumstances in His Name. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
The Lord has given me power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the ability of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt me. With the all-conquering Name of Jesus, I rule and reign over the devil and circumstances of life. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; 11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ||

|| Luke 10:18-19 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 12:1-19
2 Kings 16-17

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 12:12-21
Proverbs 21

BE CONSCIOUS OF THE POWER IN YOU.

Tuesday, May 26th . 2020
Pastor Chris

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:.

2 Corinthians 4:7 says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” There’s power in you. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” All of the power of divinity is at work in you; it’s not in heaven, but in your recreated human spirit. There’s no telling what you can do, how far you can go—the limitless extent of your success and prosperity—if you’d recognise and put the power in you to work.

What has affected many is their lack of consciousness of who they are and what they carry in them. The consciousness of the power of God in your life is the activating force. If you’re not conscious of who you are and what’s in you, it’ll not work. The Lord Jesus walked the earth with the consciousness of His divine origin and personality. He said, “All power is given to me in heaven and in the earth!” (Matthew 28:18). He knew it, and affirmed accordingly.

When He entered the synagogue, He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18). What a consciousness! When He made that declaration, the devils couldn’t stand it; then He uttered words that brought healing and restoration to the sick and the afflicted. Glory to God!

1 John 4:17 says as He is, so are we in this world. The power of the Spirit is vested in you, because you’re one with Him; you’re a member of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. You’re the representative of His Kingdom. The Holy Spirit came to live in you so the Kingdom, power, glory, righteousness and dominion of Christ would be manifested in and through you. Become conscious of this reality. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
I’m an embodiment of divinity, an ambassador of Christ, replete with the maximum load of God! I refuse to think failure, defeat, or impossibilities, for I’m conscious of God’s indwelling power in me. Through meditation on the Word and speaking in tongues, I bring that power to bear on anything and in every area of my life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. ||

|| 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 12:20-50
2 Kings 18-19

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 12:22-31
Proverbs 22

GROW YOUR FAITH .

Wednesday, May 27th . 2020
Pastor Chris

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

It’s your responsibility to increase the measure of faith God has given to you, and the way to do that is by learning more of God’s Word: “…faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). The less of God’s Word you receive into your spirit, the less faith you’ll be able to express when you’re faced with the challenges of life. So, every day, grow your faith by feeding voraciously on God’s Word.

Someone once said, “My faith is very little; that’s why I sometimes feel weak spiritually.” Then grow your faith! That’s your job. Don’t stay at the level of little faith. Little faith exhibits fear and doubt (Matthew 8:26). In Matthew 14, Simon Peter was walking on water toward Jesus until he saw the winds and waves and began to sink. The Bible says Jesus immediately “…stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).

Little faith is also carnal or given to carnal reasoning. We see an example of this in Matthew 16:6 when Jesus said to His disciples, “...Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” The Bible says they reasoned among themselves, saying, _*“It is because we have taken no bread” (Matthew 16:7). They didn’t understand what Jesus was teaching and thought He meant physical loaves of bread. Jesus perceived their carnal reasoning and said to them, “...O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?” (Matthew 16:.

When the one with little faith feels a discomfort in the stomach, he’s quick to say, “I think it’s because of something I ate or something I drank.” Yet Jesus said, “...and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them…” (Mark 16:18). God wants your faith to be stalwart; not weak, and not little. Therefore, study and practise the Word of God; that’s how to grow your faith to be strong. Be like the ones described in Thessalonica, whose faith grew exceedingly, and also those in the Faith’s hall of fame (Hebrews 11) who used their faith for exploits.

CONFESSION
The Word is living and active in me, and inspires faith in me to overcome challenges and maintain my victorious life in Christ. I’m born of the Word; therefore, I live by the Word. As I study and meditate on the Word, my faith is strengthened and improved, from glory to glory, and the blessings of acting on the Word are evident in my life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. ||

|| James 1:22-25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. ||

|| Matthew 14:26-31 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 13:1-30
2 Kings 20-22

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Proverbs 23

HUMILITY IN SERVING THE LORD.

Thursday, May 28th. 2020
Pastor Chris

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).

Over the years, I’ve seen highly spiritually gifted Christians, including ministers, whose work turned to emptiness, because they weren’t walking in humility. No matter how highly gifted you are, when it’s mixed with pride, it’s not acceptable to God. Your desire should be that whatever you offer to the Lord in ministry and in your service to Him be accepted, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Everything you do in the house of God is an offering to Him; your service is a sacrifice to God. But God won’t accept your sacrifice if it’s mixed with selfishness and greed; pomposity, pride and arrogance. Greatness in the house of God isn’t measured by some results that you have achieved or attained. Our opening verse says, “God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourself. It’s something you must consciously and deliberately practise.

When thoughts of pride arise in your heart, rebuke them. The Bible says, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). So, you see that it’s either humility or humiliation. The Scriptures are replete with stories of those who were proud and how they ended up abased. But God doesn’t want us to go in that direction.

Correct and guide yourself with the Scriptures, with the wisdom of God at all times. Being born again, you were born great, and truly great men are always humble. Keep walking in humility, for it’s a great blessing and the pathway to promotion with God.

PRAYER
Dear Father, I’m submissive to the authority, influence and impact of your Word. Pride, arrogance, haughtiness, or egotism have no place in me, for I walk in love and humility, experiencing ever-increasing greatness and unlimited progress in life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 AMPC Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. ||

|| 1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 13:31-14:1-14
2 Kings 23-25

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 14:1-9
Proverbs 24

THE CHRIST CULTURE .

Friday, May 29th . 2020
Pastor Chris

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).

In Christianity, we have a culture; it’s the Christ culture. Many come into Christ with their own culture, and try, in many ways, to influence the Church with their earthly culture. But the only culture we must follow and imbibe is the culture of the Spirit and of the Scriptures. Our theme verse tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2); that means be cultured by the Word. It’s a decision that you must make.

If you’d renew your mind with the Scriptures, you’d have the Kingdom culture. For example, in Christ, we have a culture to honour and respect everyone, not only those we think are deserving of honour. Romans 12:10 says, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Also, in Matthew 5:44, Jesus said, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” This is Kingdom-culture; it’s different from that of the world.

Matthew 5:42 says, “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” It’s our culture to give in love; you don’t turn away from the one who comes to borrow from you. We help and don’t despise anyone. This is how Jesus lived, and we’re to emulate Him. Therefore, train yourself in the Christ culture; the culture of love, kindness, forgiveness and righteousness.

PRAYER
Precious Father, I yield myself to the ministry of the Word and the Spirit to learn, develop and live out the Christ life here on earth; a life of love, excellence, victory, dominion and grace. As I study the Word, my mind is renewed to think and walk in the reality of who I am in Christ, giving full expression to your righteousness, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ||

|| 2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 14:15-31
1 Chronicles 1-2

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 14:10-19
Proverbs 25

A CHRISTIAN CAN’T BE DEMON-POSSESSED .

Saturday, May 30th . 2020
Pastor Chris

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).

Many have asked, “Can a Christian be demon-possessed?” A Christian may be influenced by a demon, but he really can’t be possessed by a demon. For a Christian to be demon-possessed means he or she has consciously and deliberately given up his faith in Jesus Christ, which is apostasy.

According to the Bible, there’s no recovery from such a state, because the person has wilfully given himself to Satan. But a true Christian can’t be in such a situation, because he’s superior to Satan. No matter how a Christian has yielded to the oppression of Satan, the day he realizes himself and says “No,” that’ll be the end of Satan’s manipulations in his life. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

For the Christian, the problem is never about demon-possession; rather, it’s about yielding to evil spirits that cause them to do terrible things, and in the process, destroy their own lives. Oftentimes, such Christians aren’t knowledgeable enough in God’s Word to live otherwise (Hosea 4:6).

The Christian is seated with Christ, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named (Ephesians 2:6;1:19-21). Hallelujah! If the foregoing is true, (and thank God it is), why would he require “deliverance” from Satan, let alone being possessed of him? Even if a Christian is being influenced or oppressed by the devil, the solution is God’s Word. Psalm 119:130 declares, “The entrance of thy words giveth light…. If you’d receive God’s Word—His light into you and accept it—it’ll eject every satanic presence; darkness will be dispelled.

This is why studying and meditating on the Word should be top priority for you as a child of God. Know and stay in the Word, and exercise your dominion in Christ.

CONFESSION
Christ is exalted in me—spirit, soul and body. I have the light of life; there’s nothing of darkness in me. I’m full of joy, peace, love, kindness, and continually filled with the Spirit, as I walk in the light of Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Ephesians 1:19-23 AMPC And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, 20 Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], 21 Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come. 22 And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church], 23 Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself]. ||

|| 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. ||

|| Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 15:1-17
1 Chronicles 3-4

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 14:20-30
Proverbs 26

NOTHING TO FEAR .

Tuesday, June 2nd . 2020
Pastor Chris

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).

There’s so much negative information in the world today and this has instilled fear in the hearts of those who aren’t rooted and grounded in the Word. These may indeed be perilous times, but the Lord Jesus referred to this in Luke 21:25-26 in describing some of the signs of the end of the age. He said, “...There shall be...distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth....”

In Luke 18:8, He asked a thought-provoking question: “...when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” You’re to stand your ground in faith, irrespective of the circumstances around you, and happenings in the world today.

The Word says in Ephesians 6:16, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” With your shield of faith, you have the ability to neutralize ALL (not some) of the fiery darts of the enemy. The Lord Jesus already destroyed the works of the devil (1 John 3:. He paralyzed Satan, demolished his works, and made an open spectacle of him and his demons in hell (Colossians 2:15).

Today, Satan and the powers of darkness are under your feet; therefore, you have nothing to fear. Irrespective of what happens around you, speak the Word in faith.

PRAYER
My faith is the victory that overcomes sickness, disease and infirmities. The divine life in me makes me superior and unsusceptible to any kind of virus or infection. I walk in dominion over sickness and the debilitating elements of this world, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 1 John 5:4 NIV for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ||

|| Colossians 2:15 AMPC [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]. ||

|| Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 17:1-26
1 Chronicles 9-10

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 15:11-19
Proverbs 29

SUPERIOR TO SICKNESS AND DISEASE .

Wednesday, June 3rd . 2020
Pastor Chris

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and IF THEY DRINK ANY DEADLY THING, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18).

The above scripture is extraordinary; it reveals something striking about you—the Christian—the new creation: you’re superior to sickness, disease, and infirmities. You have a life that can’t be infected by any disease pathogen. You can’t be poisoned or destroyed. It makes no difference that you were told that a certain poison or virus has gotten into your system; it shall have no power over you. In Luke 10:19, Jesus said, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: AND NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS HURT YOU.” This is either true or false, but thank God it’s true!

Live with the consciousness that you’re a partaker of the divine nature. Don’t join the bandwagon of those who are flustered and rattled by the spread of infectious diseases; the life in you is divine; it’s not sustained by blood but by the Spirit of God who lives inside you: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11).

The foregoing verse isn’t a promise but a vital reality now that the Holy Spirit lives in you: He’s the life of your physical body. Maybe you’ve even been diagnosed with an incurable disease as you read this; declare the Word until the divine life in you gains the ascendancy. With faith in your heart, keep affirming, “The same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead lives in me and has invigorated my physical body. I have the life of God in me; that life destroys sickness and disease. I walk in divine health. I refuse to be sick!”

Christians are people who have come from death. They’re a different breed. That’s why the Bible says, “But ye are a chosen generation…” (1 Peter 2:9). The word, “generation” is the same word for “breed.” You’re a special breed, superior to anything that’s of the devil.

Take charge of your life from the realm of the spirit and subdue your world and your environment. Even now, declare that you live victoriously through the Word, and by the Spirit, over and above sickness, disease and death. Hallelujah!

PRAYER
I walk in victory and dominion over Satan, the world, and its systems. Thank you, Father, for your divine life in me, and the power of your Word and the Holy Spirit to live triumphantly above sickness, disease and infirmities, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. ||

|| Romans 8:10-11 AMPC But if Christ lives in you, [then although] your [natural] body is dead by reason of sin and guilt, the spirit is alive because of [the] righteousness [that He imputes to you]. 11 And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 18:1-27
1 Chronicles 11-13

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
Proverbs 30

AFFIRM HIS TRUTHS .

Thursday, June 4th . 2020
Pastor Chris

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13).

2 Timothy 3:1 admonishes that in the last days, perilous times shall come. Nevertheless, Romans 8:35-37 lets us know that in spite of the tribulation, distress, famine, peril, and pandemics that would characterise the signs of the end of the age, you have nothing to fear. This is because you’re more than a conqueror: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or peril, or sword...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:35-37).

What you need is to hold on to God’s Word; know and have it in your consciousness and establish it through speaking. The power is in affirmation. For example, the Word says, “No weapon fashioned against you shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “...nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Then in John 16:33, He also said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Believe and affirm these truths.

Jesus didn’t overcome the world for Himself but for you. He overcame the world and all the evil, darkness and negativities therein, and gave you the victory. What you’re required to do now is to establish and maintain that victory in your life with your faith-filled confessions.

He said in Mark 11:23, “…whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” The Word of God in your mouth is a creative force. Praise God!

PRAYER
I declare that my life is for glory and beauty; and in my path, there’s life, success, victory and health. I pray for God’s people around the world, who may be sick or afflicted, that the healing power of God works through them, and their health is perfected, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. ||

|| Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. ||

|| Proverbs 18:21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 18:28-19:1-16
1 Chronicles 14-16

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 15:29-39
Proverbs 31

YOU’RE A NECESSARY PART OF HIS AGENDA .

Friday, June 5th . 2020
Pastor Chris

For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9).

One of the things that must be paramount to you in life is being an active part of God’s agenda, promoting the Gospel and seeing to it that the knowledge of salvation covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. This should be your driving force and purpose in everything you do.

The reason you’re in that business or working in that company or organization is so God can use you in that “chariot” to transform lives and be a blessing in your world. That’s our main purpose for being in the earth; otherwise, immediately after you’re born again, the Lord would have taken you to heaven. But He left you in the earth to carry out His purpose, to take His message to others while you develop character and spiritual understanding.

Have a plan for the Gospel, for you’re the Lord’s partner in spreading the good news of His saving power around the world; you’re His co-labourer (1 Corinthians 3:9). A dispensation of the Gospel has been committed to your trust. This was what made Paul say, “…necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16).

You’re Christ’s ambassador, His minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19). Live with this consciousness—winning souls and changing lives around the world. Hallelujah!


PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the Gospel of Christ that has blessed and enriched me. I’m grateful for the privilege to be called into partnership with you in bringing others out of darkness into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. I’m committed to the ministry of the Gospel, grateful that you’ve made all grace abound towards me, to be effective in the spread of the Gospel in my world and beyond, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ||

|| 1 Corinthians 9:16-17 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [of the gospel] is committed unto me. ||

|| 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 19:17-42
1 Chronicles 17-19

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 15:40-49
Ecclesiastes 1-2

HE HAS QUENCHED YOUR THIRST .

Saturday, June 6th . 2020
Pastor Chris

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed (John 6:55).

There’re those who are always crying to God to “quench their thirst” and fill them afresh. They misunderstand the words of Jesus in John 7:37, where He said, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” This doesn’t mean that when you’re “thirsty” for God, you go to Jesus.

Also, don’t be confused by what the Spirit penned through Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4, saying, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” In the Old Testament, they drank water from the rock, and that rock was Christ. Today, you don’t need to “go” to Jesus anymore to get that drink; you’re in Him, and He’s in you! He said, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).

What did He mean by “rivers of living water”? The 39th verse explains it. It says, “(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified).” This water is the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV says, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” In other words, when you received the Holy Spirit, you got the drink of the Spirit. He’s quenched your thirst!

We don’t cry to God to fill us when we think we’re thirsty; we get ourselves filled with the Spirit; and the Word shows us how: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (songs of the spirits; singing in the spirit), singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:18-19). This is the way to stay perpetually filled and drenched in the Holy Ghost! It’s by ministering to yourself in the spirit—singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Hallelujah!

PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the gift of the precious Holy Spirit in and with whom I’m filled continually. I’m forever refreshed through the Spirit, for out of my belly flow gushers of living water, to give life and sustenance to everything about me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. ||

|| 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. ||

|| Ephesians 5:18-19 AMPC And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit. 19 Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [[a]and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord, ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 20:1-18
1 Chronicles 20-22

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
Ecclesiastes 3-4

FLOURISHING THROUGH WORDS .

Sunday, June 7th . 2020
Pastor Chris

…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).

Over the years, many scientists have experimented with words, trying to understand the effect they have on natural things. A certain researcher grew two plants of the same kind, under identical conditions. Then he decided to speak words of love and kindness to one, while he spoke words of hate and abuse to the other.

Every day, he subjected the plants to this constant barrage of words, and a few weeks later, he noticed the plant he’d been speaking to nicely grew luxuriantly, but the other plant became frail. He continued with the same pattern of speaking and, eventually, the plant receiving positive words bloomed, but the other one being pelted with negative words withered away.

If you’re going to live the glorious life that God has planned for you to live, you must learn to speak the right words. Whether you flourish or fail, live or die, depends on your words. You’re created in the image and likeness of God; you look like Him, and function like Him. That means, like Him, your words are spirit and they’re life; they produce the message they bear or communicate.

Everything in creation responds to spoken words. If a book got completely burnt, for example, it doesn’t cease to exist. It simply transmogrifies from a compressed form to an expanded form. And though it’s no longer visible to the optical eye, its particles still exist, with specific sound codes in them. If you could release the appropriate codes through your words, you could recall the seemingly varnished particles and bring back the material into its compressed, tangible form.

This lets you know you can talk to anything, no matter how dead, and bring it back to a blossoming state. You can make progress from glory to glory and flourish evermore through the words that you speak, for your life is the result of your words.

PRAYER
My heart is an unfathomable reservoir of things that are honourable, winsome, gracious, excellent and praiseworthy, and I bring them forth by words. I declare that I flourish like the palm tree; I’m stately, upright, fruitful, majestic, stable, durable and incorruptible. In my path, there’s life, success, victory, and wealth, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Proverbs 18:21 AMPC Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. ||

|| Psalm 34:12-13 AMPC Who is someone who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies. ||

|| Psalm 92:12-15 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; 15 To shew that the LORD [is] upright: [he is] my rock, and [there is] no unrighteousness in him. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 20:19-31
1 Chronicles 23-25

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 16:1-12
Ecclesiastes 5-6

BEWARE OF THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD .

Monday, June 8th . 2020
Pastor Chris

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15).

There’s a type of spirit that many Christians are oblivious of, and the Bible talks about it in 1 Corinthians 2:12; it’s “the spirit of the world”: “Now we have received, not THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” This spirit is responsible for worldliness amongst Christians. That’s the spirit that tries to set trends—the trends of the world.

When Christians aren’t careful, they find themselves moving with those trends of the world; what the world says, how things are done, not realising they’re being swayed by the spirit of the world into worldliness. We can use certain things in the world without following what the Bible calls, “The fashion of this world” that passes away (1 Corinthians 7:31).

The fashion of this world refers to the trend of this world, and it’s under the spirit of the world. Remember that Satan is the god of this world’s system. So, when our theme verse says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…,” that’s what it’s talking about. Refuse to be controlled or influenced by the systems of this present world. Jesus said you’re in the world, but not of the world. Hallelujah!

Some people today are drifting; they’re born again, but they’ve been conquered by the world. They don’t have the Gospel-motive. Your motivation in life should and must be Christ Jesus and the purpose for which He died. Don’t let your focus be on the transient things of this failing world, for none of its so-called “trends” can give you true joy.

Paul said in Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” This is the attitude that you must have.

PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, by whom I navigate my way through life. I refuse to be swayed by the spirit of the world, for I’m not enticed by the fashion or trends of this world. I’m from above, and my mind is set on things above, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Proverbs 1:10 GNB When sinners tempt you, my child, don't give in. ||

|| John 15:19 CEV If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you. ||

|| Romans 8:5-6 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. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
John 21:1-25
1 Chronicles 26-29

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 16:13-24
Ecclesiastes 7-8

RECOGNIZE CHRIST IN YOU .

Tuesday, June 9th . 2020
Pastor Chris

I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith; so that having your roots deep and your foundations strong, in love, you may become mighty to grasp the idea (Ephesians 3:17 WNT).

As a result of ignorance of the Word, some Christians sing certain songs that aren’t consistent with the New Testament. For example, some would sing, “Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.” That doesn’t make any sense, because the Holy Spirit lives in you. He’s not in heaven; so, where is He going to “fall” from?

They could sing such a song and get so emotional and cry, thinking they’re getting blessed. But the truth is, they’re not really getting blessed; rather, such songs create a certain kind of unbelief that’s difficult to cure, resulting in their faith getting weaker and more and more ineffective.

How could a Christian be asking the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on him when the Holy Spirit is with us and in us forever? Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16). Since the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, He hasn’t gone back, and He’ll never leave us. It’s a painful thing in the body of Christ, to see God’s children in search of what they already have.

This isn’t unconnected with the reason for the Apostle Paul’s prayer in our theme verse: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith….” “Wasn’t Christ already dwelling in their hearts?” you may wonder. Yes, you’d notice he didn’t say, “Our hearts”; he was praying for the spiritually immature in Christ.

That’s how we pray for young converts, because they haven’t recognized the indwelling Christ. Sadly, many, including those who have been Christians for a long time, still require this prayer today because they haven’t recognized the indwelling Christ. They’re still in search of what’s right inside them. They want something to come from Heaven; yet, everything they could ever ask for has been granted them (2 Peter 1:3). Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Recognize Him in you. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
Christ is alive in me, because He has settled and made His home in my heart by faith; everything about Him is resident in my spirit. I’m living the supernatural life, naturally, because Christ is in me. I don’t walk in darkness about anything, because I’m conscious of His light in my heart, guiding me in the path of righteousness, to fulfil my destiny in Him. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Ephesians 3:17-19 AMPC May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, [a]through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses [b]mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] [c]unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and [d]become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! ||

|| Colossians 1:26-27 [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: ||

|| 2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
Acts 1:1-26
2 Chronicles 1-4

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Ecclesiastes 9-10

SUCCESS IN YOUR SPIRIT .

Wednesday, June 10th . 2020
Pastor Chris

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

The Word is so important. With the Word, you’ll build your life; you’ll build your spirit; you’ll build real success within you, because success starts first from the human spirit. If you have it inside you, no circumstance in life can take it away from you. But if you don’t have it in you, your life will depend on circumstances, and circumstantial success isn’t true success.

This has happened to far too many people. Their lives depend on how good things are in their country, in their finances, in their job, in their place of work, etc. And so, you have a lot of people drifting around, looking for some greener pastures. But that shouldn’t be you. Success is built into your spirit. You’re the seed of Abraham; that means your life’s journey should be in one direction only: upward and forward.

Your success is independent of circumstances. That’s how God designed it, because He Himself is independent of circumstances. You’re born in His image and likeness. The nature He’s given you is one of ever-increasing glory and greatness; always making progress. This has to be your mindset; otherwise, you’ll be like everyone else whose life is dependent on circumstances; who keeps praying that things will be all right.

But a child of God who understands the Word doesn’t live like that; he brings forth success from within. The Bible says from your heart are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 12:35, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things….” Success and all the good things of life are in you; bring them forth.

CONFESSION
The greater One lives in me! My spirit is awakened and stirred up to be independent of circumstances, to bring forth good things always, irrespective of the situation around me. The Word of God in my spirit produces wealth, prosperity and success, anytime, anywhere! Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

|| Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. ||

|| Joshua 1:8 AMPC This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good [a]success. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
Acts 2:1-21
2 Chronicles 5-7

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
2 Corinthians 1:12-24
Ecclesiastes 11-12

THE HOLY SPIRIT: GOD AT WORK IN YOU .

Thursday, June 11th . 2020
Pastor Chris

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak to you, I speak not from myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works (John 14:10).

The Holy Spirit is the active agent of the Godhead; He’s the power of God; He carries out the acts of God. Man was created and formed by the Holy Spirit; everything God does outside of His throne is done by the Holy Spirit. Nothing works without the Holy Spirit; there’s no life without Him.

The Lord Jesus, in the days of His earthly ministry, did nothing without the Holy Spirit. In our opening verse, He identifies the Holy Spirit as the Father that dwells in Him and does the work. That’s a fact to recognize in your life as a Christian.

The Holy Spirit in your life is your key to extraordinary and absolute success. None of those who walked with Him as revealed in the Scriptures were ever defeated; none was a failure. Everyone who received Him gained the mastery and became the champion. Many in the Church today need to know for sure who the Holy Spirit is and His ministry in their lives. He is Himself, God.

If you were to carry out any task for the Lord in your local Church, for example, until and unless you execute it by the power of the Spirit, there’ll be no impact. You can further understand Paul’s submission in Colossians 1:29 in describing his total dependence on the power of the Spirit for effective ministry work. He said, “Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” It should and must be the same for every one of us.

The Bible says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13); that’s referring to the Holy Spirit. You can’t do God’s work or even live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4:6 says, “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” It’s for the same reason that He wants us perpetually filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit is God at work in you, building you, and building others through you.

PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who has come to take His abode in the quarters of my heart, permanently. In all that I do, I acknowledge Him as my Helper, Comforter, Counsellor, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby. I’m totally dependent on His power, taking advantage of His divine ability, strength and wisdom at work in me, to fulfil my purpose, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 2 Corinthians 3:5 AMPC Not that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) of ourselves to form personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God. ||

|| John 14:16 AMPC And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever— ||

|| Philippians 2:13 AMPC [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while [a]effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and [b]delight. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
Acts 2:22-47
2 Chronicles 8-11

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
2 Corinthians 2:1-7
Songs Of Solomon 1-2

YOUR RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it (1 Peter 3:10-11).


God’s plan for you is that you live a glorious life, happy and excited every day, irrespective of the happenings around you. This takes living by the Word. The Word of God unveils the fundamental principles of success that you can act upon for a God-centred fulfilling life.

For example, our opening scripture is very instructive on how to have a blissful life. In The Living Bible translation, it reads, “If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Try to live in peace even if you must run after it to catch and hold it” (1 Peter 3:10-11).

The admonition is clear: do you want a wonderful life? It’s up to you! Eschew evil and do good; live peaceably with all men. Practise this. God is giving you the recipe for a successful life, a life that’s filled with joy and good things.

Your life will be beautiful, fulfilling, inspiring and excellent if you’d live by the Word. His Word is so simple, yet has the power to produce what it says. It’s your instruction manual for life, the light that guides you in righteousness, glory and victory. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, “Rejoice evermore.” Put this to work in your life. Be full of joy always, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.


PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for giving me such a beautiful, extraordinary, exciting, fulfilling, exceptional and excellent life; a glorious life that radiates joy, excellence and peace. Irrespective of contrary circumstances, I stir up joy from within; your glory, grace and righteousness are seen and manifested in me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

HOLDING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE .

Saturday, June 13th . 2020
Pastor Chris

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; HOLDING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain (Philippians 2:14-16).

Notice the underlined portion of our theme scripture: “Holding forth the word of life”; in holding forth the Word of life, you’re presenting Jesus to the world, for He is the living, incarnate Word and He is life. Your life continually reflects Jesus as you meditate on His Word and live it daily.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” As you look into God’s mirror (His Word), where the beauty of Christ is expressed, you’re transfigured into the same image of glory that you see in the Word. Then you discover that you’re not the weak, struggling person that you thought you were; you’re not the fearful, vengeful or arrogant person that others had described. You’re the glory of God. Christ is your beauty, wisdom and righteousness. You’re the effulgence of His glory, as He (Christ Jesus) is the effulgence of the Father’s glory, for as He is, so are you, in this world (1 John 4:17).

This is why it’s important that you meditate on the Word. The Word reveals your origin, identity and inheritance in Christ. Make studying God’s Word part of your conscious routine, not something you do casually. It’ll build your faith and help you grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for the ability to see the glorious realities in your Word. As I meditate on the Word, I’m transfigured into the same image of glory. I’m the expression of your righteousness, goodness, excellence, glory, grace and power to my world. I walk in the reality of my inheritance, authority and ability in Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

|| 2 Corinthians 3:18 AMPC And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. ||

|| James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. ||

|| 1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. ||

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
Acts 4:1-31
2 Chronicles 16-19

2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
2 Corinthians 3:1-10
Songs Of Solomon 5-6