HANG ON TO YOUR BELIEF

Faith simply defined is a heart that believes God through ordinary circumstances. This kind of faith should be practised in difficult and perilous times as well as good or favourable circumstances. A good example of this kind of faith is the case of Job in Job 1:21-22 - Naked I came from my mothers womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. Despite all he was going through, Job knew that he was to glorify God in good and hard times alike. He knew that God allows trials in our lives not to impair us but to improve us. Remember, God will not give you more than you can bear. He gives us enough grace for each trial we face. Even when goings are tough, hang on to your belief. Just as it was for Job and countless other champions of faith in the Bible, faith is there for you.

TOUCH THE HEART OF GOD

Make a tangible effort to help the helpless and touch the heart of God this New Year 2013. John 13:34 and Romans 13:9 gives us the commandment and rule to, Love your neighbour as yourself. We should therefore be known by our love, irrespective of our religion, ethnicity or geographical location. Love is the real measure of spirituality. Love is the greatest Christian virtue. Today, love is lost. In a world that cares less, we should care more. A true Christian is known by his love not by his title, bank balance, worldly possessions, wives, children etc. Therefore, let us act love, do love. As sons and daughters of love, we must follow in the light of love and led love lead.

PUT GOD WHERE HE BELONGS

As we enter the new year, it is time to put God where He belongs as the only thing not just one of those things. God wants to be involved in everything concerning you and walk you through whatever life brings. You can choose to let him help you in all you do. The new year is approaching and it is time to make a decision and stand on that decision, nothing wavering. What is the decision? What you do with Jesus Christ. It is a decision that takes faith faith is a heart that believes God through ordinary circumstances. Anything that comes by force is not faith; faith is something that comes spontaneously, willingly. Jesus never forced anyone to believe in Him. He came to restore the relationship and fellowship between God and man because He wanted a love relationship with us. Happy New Year! Matthew 6:33

AT THE END OF YOUR ROPE

Romans 3:10-12 The Bible says that we all have made bad decisions, mistakes and wrong choices we regret but we can be forgiven and start over. Have you made a bad decision? Have you made a wrong choice? Are you at the end of your rope? Dont give up and quit on life! No matter what happens, no matter what comes, it does not change the fact that Jesus Christ loves you, wants to be involved in every detail of your life and walk you through whatever life brings. No matter your mistakes, He will always be there to get you back on your feet because Jesus never disconnected Himself from those who made mistakes with their lives. Sometimes, we get to the end of ourselves, before God can mould us into glory. When we run out of rope, we need to grab onto faith and look beyond the visible to the invisible where God is.

LIVE IN GODS WORD

You may know the Word, you may be familiar with the original Greek or Hebrew, you may know the history of the Word that is all wasted energy if you do not live the Word or practice it. By faith, we act on Gods Word. Faith is not a recreation of the intellect but of the spirit of man. I mean, faith is not rooted in intellectualism but from the spirit of man. It is not an intellectual agreement. Faith comes when the Word prevails over the thinking processes. The instant you believe, you have; it is yours. You may mentally assent and never have; you may hope and never have but the instant you believe, it is yours. Make the decision today to believe Gods Word and live in it. When you live in the Word and practice it, you bring Jesus on the scene.

OVERCOME THE SENSES

Revelation 21:6-7 And He said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. What Jesus asked Martha in John 11:40, He asks to all who desire to see the glory of God. We must believe that we will see. The battle in our daily walk is with the senses. We demand to see because we live by the senses. Those who are led by the recreated Spirit are not under the law. Which law? The law of the senses - what we see, we may like to taste, drink, and feel. To overcome, we must do the Word, act the Word, live in the Word and trust implicitly in the Word. Our spirit must govern our senses. For this to happen, our minds must be so renewed by knowing Gods Word and acting on it.

FOLLOW HIM

Today, as you wake up from bed, what is the first thought that strikes your mind? Is it thoughts of peace and comfort or is it contrary? Many, in their Christian walk with God are struggling with their weaknesses. As Christians, we should not let that situation bring us down or discourage us. The Bible says that no one is perfect, not even one. Everyone makes mistakes. The difference between you and others is that you already have a relationship with God

Almighty, so you can go to Him about your behaviour. He will help you get you back on your feet, forgive you and help you not to make the same mistakes again. Anytime we make mistakes, we must run to God, not from Him. Sometimes, we get to the end of ourselves before God can mould us into glory. When we run out of rope, it is time to grab onto faith. Jesus Christ is the sinners only Saviour. He is the reason and purpose for our being. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the Bible says, If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. This simply means that Jesus Christ will not consider our request until He sees in us a faithful follower, a willing servant, a man of great perception, which are essential characters of true disciples. Prayer: Lord, help me not only to run, but to run with a purpose. Help me to follow You on the way, in Jesus name.

THE MASTER PLANNER

When God is executing HIS plans in our lives, HE also designs and arranges the events that continue to unfold until HIS purpose is revealed in our lives. When we look at the way and manner God designs and manages events in the life of HIS people, we would discover this truth. Because Peter was to be a blessing to his people, he had to taste hardship, disappointment, setback, failure and want. Because Joseph was to be a source of freedom for his people, he had to taste imprisonment. Because Hannah was to have the mother of miracles, the great child, Samuel, she had to taste barrenness. As a Christian, what are you passing through? What you are passing through may be part of the events that would reveal Gods purpose for your life and usher you into your Divine destiny. Dont doubt the plan of the Master

Planner! Dont lose faith in Gods wisdom. Dont give up in the face of lifes uncertainties! Keep your eyes fixed and focussed on the promise of God, not on your situation. If you are living for the purpose God has designed you to achieve in life, your focus, aim and desire would be on your destination, not your situation.

CHOOSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING

You have been tempted, I have been tempted. We all continue to be challenged by issues that violate our conscience. When we are tempted, as Christians, to act out of character, we are faced with a choice to do the right thing or to do the wrong thing. God Almighty has given every believer the freedom to choose what to do and what not to do, what to listen to and not listen to, what to say and not to say. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the freedom to make decisions. We can choose to walk away from wrong opportunities. All of us who have fallen made a decision. All of us who have not fallen faced similar temptation but made a different decision. To resist temptation starts with the decision to resist it. Remember, every moment of the day, every single second, you have to make a decision whether to yield to the light or the darkness. When temptation and discouragement comes, we dont stop; we dig deep and fight it through because we have Someone at the right hand of God, who is ever faithful. In every trial, temptation, Jesus Christ ever lives to pray for us. He is a friend closer than a brother. He died for us, reigns in power for us and still prays for us. So, anytime you are faced with the choice to choose between temporary pleasure rather than permanent gain, look to Jesus Christ. He was a man just like us, yet without sin. He wants to be involved in your life, walk you through whatever life brings. Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the grace to resist every temptation that may hinder me from coming close to You. Call me to a closer relationship with You.

HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Mankind is designed to think, talk, act and plan with God. This was why in Acts 16:16-18 when Paul encountered a female slave who was possessed by an evil spirit and she kept on following Paul for many days shouting, These men are of God, because Paul knew Gods opinion of himself and others, he was able to discern the spirit in her and so delivered her immediately. When you are in a relationship with Jesus, you change and become a man who is directed by your Heavenly Father. Therefore, what you speak will be according to the truth of Gods Word and you would hear yourself and God would hear you. If Pauls instruction or command to the evil spirit was not according to the truth of Gods Word, it would have been idle and meaningless I mean, it would have carried no force or power in it. So, as a Christian, if what you speak is not according to the truth of Gods Word, you would only hear yourself but God would not hear you.

LIFE IS FULL OF CHOICES

You can choose to walk away from wrong opportunities. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the freedom to make decisions. You are a free moral agent. Serving the Lord, our Saviour, Jesus, is the road to comfort and peace while serving the devil is a sure way to bitterness, pain and death. All of us who have fallen made a decision and all of us who have not fallen faced similar temptations but made a different decision. You can choose to let the One who created you, help you in all you do. The wisest decision is what you do with Christ. He created you. If you rely on the strength of our Saviour, He will not allow the enemy of your soul to give you more than you can take. What is the way through your fear, failure, sickness, disappointment, embarrassment? Many go to clubs, smoking and drinking because of discouragement. Turn it around and look at it as a life lesson. Fight through your failures and fear by maximising your forward motion. When discouragement comes, we dont stop; we dig deep and fight it through. As a Christian, dont stop, whatever situation you are facing, speed up the attack.

CHOOSE TO WALK AWAY FROM WRONG

In Joshua 24:15, Joshua set a crucial decision before his people and asked them to choose whom they would serve. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the freedom to make decisions. You are a free moral agent. You can choose to walk away from wrong opportunities. You can choose to either yield yourself to God or to the devil. All who have fallen made a decision and all who have not fallen faced similar temptations but made a different decision. Remember, in every situation, you determine your focus and you determine your decisions.

WE ARE CONVERTED BY THE WORD

Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him One may study the Bible for years. If he does not act it, live it and is not a doer, the mind is not renewed. We are converted by the Word. The Word we are talking about is not in the book, not on the written page but on the lips of the believer. The mind is renewed by studying the Word and by acting upon it. To bring Jesus on the scene, the Living Word must live in you, grow in you and get into your blood to gain supremacy over you. Dont just commit the Word to memory, let it become an integral part of your being. It should live in you. The Word carries you beyond the realm of sense knowledge into the very presence of God, giving you a right standing there. There you meet God face to face.

FOCUS ON CHRIST

Remember, when reading Gods Word, take special care to find the rich treasures hidden there. God will not open the door to wisdom to the one who keeps his Bible shut. In Matthew 6:34, we read that God gives enough grace for each trial we face. Your trial could be sickness, poverty or failure. What is your trial? One thing is clear - as a Christian, you are given enough grace to face it. What is your situation? Remember, the Lord is our Shepherd. If the Lord is your Shepherd, His grace would be sufficient for you to face any situation you are in. If the Lord is your Shepherd, whatever situation you are in would strengthen your determination and desire for Him. If Satan uses iron to block our way, God would bring a welder to cut a way out through the iron because God speaks strength and courage into our lives through our trials and temptation. Because He lives, you can face tomorrow. With Jesus, you can face any situation because He promised to see you through (Psalm 91:15). Therefore, let us not look back because we cannot make spiritual progress by looking back. Run the straight race through Gods good grace! You can only run the straight race through Gods good grace by not looking back but by focusing on Christ alone. Focusing on Christ puts everything else in perspective.

SPEED UP THE ATTACK

What is the battle you are fighting? Are you lonely? Are you fed up? Dont be discouraged. What you need to remember is that our battle is not carnal; it is not against flesh and blood. Trouble does not need an invitation to come. Trouble will come but yours as a Christian is not like others. It may be to strengthen your desire for Jesus Christ; it may be to keep you for a level in life. Dont allow discouragement. Cheer up. The Bible says in John 16:33 Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Jesus is telling you that He has overcome the world. When fear hits, dig deep and fight it through. When the trouble hits, speed up the attack pray the more, read your Bible the more.

THANK YOU, JESUS!

How many of us that are sick would say, Thank You, Jesus for healing me whereas the pain is still there? How many of us that are poor would say, Thank You Jesus for blessing me whereas the sign of poverty is still there? But when Jesus stood before Lazarus tomb, he said, Thank You, Father for hearing Me even while the dead body was still on the ground (John 11:40-44). A man of faith is led by an indwelling Spirit of grace, which is greater than he who dwells in the world. What is happening around you cannot overwhelm you. Therefore, believe that you have what God says you have, you can do what God says you can do. Are you sick? Jesus is your Healer. Are you lonely? Jesus is your companion. Thank You, Jesus! He is my Redeemer, whether He redeems me or not; we cannot move His throne!

THE GREATEST GIFT

You have two choices yield to God or yield to satan. The wisest decision is what you do to Jesus Christ. The second greatest choice is to live your life for Him. You are a free moral agent. The greatest gift God has given us is the freedom of choice. What is your choice? Colossians 1:15-16

A CLEAN HEART

Each time we sin, we come short of Gods grace. When we come short of His grace, our strength and everything that makes meaning in us is gone. David must have felt very dirty when he realized he had sinned. Sin is the bitter root of sorrow. When it is taken away, we can pray in faith. Whether your sin is great or small, you can still be cleansed. Say to God, Dirty as I am You can still cleanse me. Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

ONE IN UNITY

WITH GOD When God said Lets make man in our own image and likeness, he was not referring to the physical sense of man but one in unity with Him in terms of love, faithfulness, humility, self control, everything that makes God who He is (Genesis 1:26). Whatever constitutes mans appearance - looks, height, size these are not the criteria. When God said in our image and likeness, God was talking about one who will resemble Him in everything He stands for, in everything that makes God who he is. Man was created to be the greatest product to Him. The question you need to ask yourself is that if physical appearance had formed the basis of our likeness to God then a man without limbs, without legs, hand or any part of the body will not be an image of God; when a man has an accident that leads to amputation, he will stop being an image of God.

DONT STOP, DIG DEEP, FIGHT IT THROUGH

John 16:33, I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. When God created man, He gave them the right to life; within that right was discretion, the ability to decide what to do, without which life is meaningless. All of us who have fallen have made a decision and all of us who have not fallen, faced similar temptations but made a different decision. Child of God, why are you down because of discouragement? That trouble, sickness and discouragement will not come is a false doctrine. When it hits, speed up the attack. It is not the time to relax and become discouraged. We fight through our failure and fear by maximising our forward motion. You can choose to walk out on wrong opportunities and you can choose to let the One who created you help you. You can choose to pray the more, fast the more and commit to God the more. Hear Jesus saying to you, in the Book of John 16:33, you who live in the world, I have given you the strength to overcome whatever comes. When discouragement comes, dont stop; dig deep and fight it through. To His power, nothing is impossible.

Divine Arrangement.

Do you know that God wants to be involved in everything you do and He wants to walk you through whatever life brings? Take the case of Peter the fisherman. It was not by mere chance that Jesus chose Peters boat at the seaside. It was by providential arrangement. I mean as it should be by divine will. Remember there were many boats there, but He got into one Peters. Jesus ministry of intercession is little appreciated by believers. In every temptation, trial and hard place, Jesus ever lives to pray for us, that is the reason for our victory. After Peters encounter with Jesus, he was given a greater task which was to fish for men. Therefore, man does not only need a mediator, but after becoming a child of God /a Christian, he needs God more than ever before because he lives in a world dominated by satan.

Because God is good, bring your requests to Him, share your concerns with Him and cast your cares upon Him because He is good. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. If HEs good all the time, why complain, murmur or despair? Exodus 33:19

EMPOWERED TO MAKE A CHANGE

Who is He you are looking for? Jesus is everything you need. Jesus is alive. He never said goodbye. He still changes lives. He still heals the brokenhearted. He still empowers disciples to change the world. When you are called by His name, you will be empowered to make a change. Lord, give me the grace, to continue in Christs Word so I can remain a disciple indeed. John 16:13, However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.

RECOGNISE THE HAND OF GOD

Every man has two natures in one person human and divine. If you are of God, you will have the divine nature of God; if you are of satan, you will have the divine nature of satan. As for your human nature, you are a descendent of your biological father. As for your divine nature, it depends on who you live for. So, the hands and the head will continue to do the work of whom you live for, the mouth will continue to speak the word of who you live for, your eyes will continue to see who you live for, your legs will lead you to where your master is. In order to live for Christ and be a partaker of the divine nature of God, make God's Word the standard for your life so you will be able to recognise the hand of God in your life and live, move and have your being in Him (Acts 17:28).

JESUS OUR CHOICE

When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, Jesus will become your coach. When Jesus becomes your coach, you will be asked to see what is not yet seen, hear what is not yet heard, say what is not yet said, do what is not yet done. But until you experience Jesus, you will have dissatisfaction in your life. A sense of hunger to know what life is all about; a desire to know what happens after life is over. When you have exhausted your mental and emotional resources, you can no longer rely on yourself; you simply need to trust Someone, Something stronger, wiser and smarter than yourself. Jesus who can raise the dead is our choice. Joshua 24:15

Your Assignment

Your assignments continue to pile up because you have left too much undone. What is the assignment? Our assignment is to meet the needs of others. Remember, you are called to respond to the needs of others for that is what love entails but you keep looking for a more convenient day to do that but that day may never come. Remember, we are created for Gods glory you are to act with Him, plan with Him, get His opinion about yourself and of others, see life the way He sees it. To do this, you must have Gods kind of faith. When a person steps out in this type of faith, he will be standing on solid rock. To stand on solid rock is to act now, believe now and receive now.

THINK TODAY

Faith is in the present - it believes now; it receives now; it acts now. Remember, only faith pleases Him (Hebrews 11:6). You cannot receive now because you are living in the past. You live in the past because you are looking for a more convenient day and you keep postponing what you ought to do now to a more convenient day, and that convenient day may never come. Be a today thinker and receive Him now. Do not dwell in the past because Jesus enters our life to end our past and give birth to our future.

GODS WORD QUICKENS US SPIRITUALLY

Gods Word has the ability to quicken us spiritually and if we are spiritually minded, God promises to carry us in the arms of His power as a nurse carries a child and strengthen our spirit by His spirit. Therefore, acting on the Word is letting Christ act through you because Christ and the Word are one. Letting the Word have right of way in your life will let Christ have right of way.

FILLING YOUR PRAYER WITH SCRIPTURES

Using the Word of God in your prayer helps ensure that your prayer lines up with Gods Word and intention for your life. So, fill your prayers with scriptures so that you do not discuss your battle instead of the one fighting for you. Jesus has no place in the life that is not dominated by the Word, because the Word dominating you is the Lordship of Christ in you. If you are a doer of the Word, the Word will be living in your lips, just exactly as it lives in the Master's mouth. Your word becomes God's Word and your lips becomes God's ambassador. Its not the amount of prayer you pray, but the faith you put into your prayer that counts. For Jesus Christ has done everything for us, all we need to do is to believe.

DRAW GREATER PLANS

Planning is the starting point for any dream or goal you possess. But in James 1:10-11, James had earlier compared man and all that man could boast to a beautiful flower which blossoms, i.e. prospers for a while and then whithers too soon. What then is the good in making long term plans? It is certainly reasonable to make plans for the future but we must always do so with the awareness of lifes uncertainties. So, if you dont want to end up in failure, be sure to begin with God. Remember God honours men who plan. Therefore, as children of God, it is time to draw greater plans.