Don't be unforgiving.

Tuesday, February 28th.
Don't be unforgiving.

“You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you.' The king was very angry, and he sent the servant to jail to be punished until he should pay back the whole amount." And Jesus concluded, "That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."”
Matthew 18:33-35(GNB)

Walking in love is one of the keys to ending demonic oppression. Therefore if you want to end any cycle of demonic oppression in your life, then walk in love.

In Mathew 18:23-34, the Bible tells us a story about a certain king whose servant owed him ten thousand talents, as a result the king decided to sell him, his wife and children so that the money will be paid. The servant begged this king to be patient with him, that he will pay, so the king moved with compassion released him and forgave him the debt he owed. But this same servant that has just be forgiven of a debt of ten thousand talents went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him just an hundred pence and demanded that he paid the debt, his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him to have patience but he would not and threw him into prison until he paid the hundred pence. When the king heard about it, he called him and reprimanded him for not having compassion on his fellow servant just as he had compassion on him. As a result the king was angry and delivered him to the torturer or tormentors.  

This shows us the importance of walking in love because walking in unforgiveness in your heart will make you vulnerable to demonic oppression. Unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, strife opens the door to the devil to have access into your life to cause confusion and every evil work. Shut the door to the devil by choosing to walk in love and forgiveness.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I shut the door to the devil by choosing to walk in love and forgiveness. I let go of all bitterness, anger and strife against anyone who has wronged me. I let them go and I set them free. Therefore, I judge satan, I rebuke every activity of any unclean spirit assigned against me or my family to stop right now in all their maneuvers against us, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Luke 6:37, Hebrews 12:15, James 2:13.

Doing the Word.
Always be quick to forgive.

Read More

Selflessness and the blessing.

Monday, February 27th.
Selflessness and the blessing.

“Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.” Deuteronomy 28:5

Yesterday, we learnt that walking in love is fulfilling the law, therefore all the blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1-13 should be evident in your life. Today we are going to see how walking in love connects with our giving and prosperity.

According to our opening scripture when you are blessed, you will always have constant supply no matter the economy of the nation where you are. How do you activate this? By your faith in God's love. Will you be willing to carry out His instructions to you even when it seems like obeying God at that point seems to threaten your livelihood? You must have faith in God's love to obey Him sacrificially.

A good example of such a character in scripture was the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17. When the Prophet Elijah demanded that she should use the last flour in her house to bake bread for him first. I want you to know that this was the only sustenance left for her and her son to eat and die. When she moved from selfishness to selflessness and decided to make for the Man of God first. The Man of God speaking according to the Word of the Lord said, “The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.” 1 Kings 17:14. This shows us that even if there is a recession in your country, you would not be disadvantaged, and neither shall you be in lack when you are selfless and self giving like this widow of Zerephath.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I receive grace to be selfless and self giving as it was on the Macedonian Church. Therefore as I begin to act on this grace, may all grace, every favour and all spiritual and earthly blessings abound towards me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 Kings 17:8-16, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5,
Philippians 4:15-19.

Doing the Word.
Be a selfless giver.

Read More

Love fulfills the law.

Sunday,  February 26th.
Love fulfills the law.

“… for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8b

According to the Word in our opening scripture loving others is fulfilling the law. Therefore, all the blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1-13 will be evident in your life.

For instance, in Deuteronomy 28:1 the Bible says, “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:” When you are walking in love you are setting yourself up for God to set you high above the nations of the earth.

Therefore, you cannot be walking in love and not be a high flier. A good example was Mother Theresa. She just committed her life to loving the poorest of the poor in India. As she sacrificed her life for such a worthy cause in love, before long God gave her influence over nations; to the point that she began to speak to Presidents of nations.

What made her a high flier? Love. Mother Theresa was feeding the poor. Showing love and affection to these outcasts in society; dirty, smelly and diseased people. That was what she was doing with her life. As she added value to the lives of these ones, God added more value to her life.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you for grace to remain committed to a life of love and unconditional benevolence even to the undeserving, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Romans 13:10, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8.

Doing the Word.
Ask God to show you what you need to start doing to add value to the lives of people around you.

Read More

Keep doing good.

Saturday, February 25th.
Keep doing good.

“Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up.”
Galatians 6:9(CEV)

I heard about the story of a man who wanted to get a property. He went about looking for how he could obtain loans so he could purchase the property but he was turned down because he did not have the required collateral to obtain the loan. While he was praying still believing for the property, God spoke to him and instructed him to forgive everyone that owed him. That was not a logical thing to do for him because he was in need of money at this time to buy a property, how could he now be forgiving the debts of those who owed him?

Finally, he decided to obey and started calling up all his debtors and told them that he had forgiven them the debt they owed him. After he completed this instruction, the same bank that turned him down earlier called him and told him they were going to finance whatever he needed to buy without the required collateral, which was contrary to their normal procedure.

What changed? He was willing to let go of the debt others owed him unconditionally. As a result, God gave him favour with the bank and made it possible for him to get the loan he needed to purchase the property he wanted without any collateral.

The principle I want you to remember here is this, “whatever you make happen for others, God will make happen for you.”

Prayer.
Dear Father, by my faith in your grace and favour, I declare that you are perfecting all that concerns me in this season, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Psalm 37:3, Luke 6:35, 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

Doing the Word.
Be excited in making good things happen for others.

Read More

God rewards love.

Friday, February 24th.
God rewards love.

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? …”
Matthew 5:46a

The words of Jesus in our opening scripture show us that when we chose to love others unconditionally God rewards us.

Therefore, when your wife or your husband offends you that is the time to show them great love because you now know that God will reward you for loving unconditionally. Always remember that when you love others because they deserve it, you have no reward. But when you love others unconditionally God rewards you.

Live with this principle of loving unconditionally knowing that the mistakes and short comings of others against you is your opportunity to advance. God will always reward every act of unconditional love to your brother, sister, friend or neighbor. When God wants to reward you, He will ensure that you have favour from someone or somewhere you do not deserve anything good; you may have even made a mistake, yet He will cause you to have favour. Why? You have loved others unconditionally.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Therefore whenever you are merciful and compassionate towards the undeserving be sure that God will ensure that whenever you need to be treated that way too, you will definitely not lose your mercy.

Prayer.
Dear Father, teach me to always be compassionate and merciful in my dealings with others. Help me to express the same love you have shown me to others when they offend me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
2 Samuel 22:26, Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:32.

Doing the Word.
Be merciful.

Read More

God loves you more.

Thursday, February 23rd.
God loves you more.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13

Do you know that God loves you more than anyone can love you? I know that because many people are more drawn towards what they can see with their physical eyes, and because they cannot see God physically, a lot of people do not know how to receive and enjoy His love. The truth is God's love for you is more consistent and more real than the love of your husband or your wife for you.

God's love for you is unconditional. He is the One that knows everything about you, including all your mistakes, secret sins and weaknesses and still chooses to pour His love on you. Romans 5:7-8(GNB) says, “It is a difficult thing for someone to die for a righteous person. It may even be that someone might dare to die for a good person. But God has shown us how much he loves us---it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!”

Do you know when God chose to show us the greatest love there is? It was not because we were His children and was pleasing Him. He chose to show us the greatest sacrifice to prove that He loves you more than anyone else when Jesus died for us. Jesus died for us not when we were righteous but when we were still sinners and God's enemies.

Today, God makes a plea to you to come to Him. He knows about how bad you are, but He is not condemning you. He already made all the provisions ready to make you righteous, blameless and unreprovable in His sight. Submit to His everlasting love for you today, make Him your Lord and personal Saviour by confessing the Lordship of Jesus over your life and then repent from all your wrong doings and receive grace to walk in the path of righteousness and truth. If you would like to respond to God's love, please pray the prayer of salvation below:

Prayer of Salvation.
“O God, I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that He is the Son of God. I believe that He died for my sins. I believe with all my heart that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord. I take Him as my Lord and personal saviour. Jesus, come into my heart, make me a new person. I receive eternal life and the love of God into my spirit even now. Amen.”

For further study, read:
Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 44:22, Matthew 11:28.

Doing the Word.
Give thanks to the Father for His love.

Read More

Add value to your Children.

Wednesday, February 22nd.
Add value to your Children.

 “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:13-14  

Our opening scripture shows us that Jesus could play with little children. He did not put them away. They lived within the confines of His love. His love was extended to them as well. His disciples felt the Lord would not have time for such little ones, but his attitude and response when they tried to stop these little ones from coming to Him made them know that even the little children mattered to Jesus.

Do your own children matter to you? Yesterday I shared with you the importance of investing quality time with your children. Today, I want to show you how to do that; the first thing you can do is to get into their world, you will have to come down to their level to be able to have fun playing with them. God the Father came down to our level and sat where we sat to be able to reach us to save us. You must do the same thing for your children.

Secondly, learn to affirm your children with your words. Make them know that they are your treasures. Make them know that nothing you have or posses are more important to you than them. Thirdly, as a father, get involved with feeding your children; especially as toddlers, put the food in their mouth. Do not be too busy for these things. Your children need you. Share meals with them; let them feel confident in your presence. These things will help your children to have a good self concept, and children who have a good self concept do well academically. Therefore, if you want your children to do well academically, love them.

Therefore I encourage you to create a special time for your children today, call each one of them to yourself and look into their eyes and tell them they are the best in the whole world. Let them know you love them more than anything else in the world.

Instruction.
Pray for your children today according to Isaiah 54:13-14, that all your children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be their peace. Pray that God will lead them in paths of righteousness, and they shall be far from terror and oppression, it shall not come near them.

For further study, read: Genesis 48:8-10, 16, Matthew 19:13-15, Luke 18:15-16.

Doing the Word.
Affirm your love to your children today.

Read More

Give yourself.

Tuesday, February 21st.
Give yourself.

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
Ephesians 5:25

Love is self giving. Jesus gave Himself for us as a proof of His love for us. This is a very important aspect of love and loving that we all need to take note of and begin to practice especially towards our spouse and children.

A husband can say, “I love my wife and my children and I provide them with money.” That is good, but there is more. They need you to give yourself as well. They need you to invest quality time with them as well; both for your wife and your children.

It is said that children spell love as 'T I M E.' Do you invest your time with your children? I create the time to play with my children. Let me tell you a secret; if you want your children to stay pure, make time for them. It helped me and my brother as well to live in purity. My father made time for us. So I encourage you to make time for your children.

Can your children talk with you? Can they confide in you and tell you their secrets? They will only do that when they are sure and confident of your love for them. As a father, you are the first authority figure in the life of your children, if you do not give them unconditional love they will suffer from an inferiority complex no matter how rich or influential you are. That is one of the things that helped me as a child. So, I respected authority, but I was never intimidated in the presence of greatness because the first authority figure in my life loved me. Do this for your children and by so doing add value to them with your words as well.  

Instruction.
Pray that God's love will abound in your home. Also pray that your love for each other as a family will abound more and more.

For further study, read:
Deuteronomy 6:7, Psalm 68:6a, Proverbs 22:6

Doing the Word.
No matter how busy you are, schedule a time daily or weekly you can invest in your relationship with your spouse and your children.

Read More

The secret to the power.

Monday, February 20th.
The secret to the power.

“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”
Matthew 14:14

The secret to the power of God is love. Love is the pathway to the supernatural. Paul the Apostle spoke in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” Have you come to that place in your walk with God where you are constrained by His love? Are you propelled by His love? When you come there you will begin to understand that your life is not about living for yourself but for Him who died for you and rose again. This is what the love life is all about, it is about living for Jesus. It is living a life where you are completely dead to self. In this realm self cannot be found. That is where the power of God is revealed.

This was what propelled me to shut myself with a friend to fast for days. Why? It was because I wanted to bring God's healing power to this generation. Why will I always maintain a fasted life till the day I go and meet with the Lord? It is because I want to always walk in the power of God so that I will be able to help humanity.

Love is selfless. That is where the power is. Therefore, if you want to walk in the power of God, then you must be selfless. I encourage you to pray that the compassion of Jesus will propel your heart always.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that the compassion of Christ should propel my heart always. Let the compassion of Christ be revealed through my life, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Matthew 25:34-46, Mark 8:1-9,
1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

Doing the Word.
Live your life been thoughtful that you are Christ representative.

Read More

Identify true love.

Sunday, February  19th.
Identify true love.

“And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.”
Genesis 34:3

Do you know that the way you talk to anyone reveals whether you love them or not? Love can be revealed or expressed through words. You will notice from our opening scripture that the young man spoke kindly to Dinah the daughter of Jacob because he loved her. His love was obvious in his words.

Is your love obvious to your wife or your husband from your words? Can we judge from your words spoken to them or about them that you truly love them? If someone says he or she loves you and they always talk you down with their words, they always speak harshly to you, they never speak kindly to you neither do they add value to you with their words, the truth is that they do not really love you. Maybe they love your body, your gifts or your money. They do not truly love you from the heart.

Someone may lie to you that they love you, do not just get carried away because he or she said, “I love you.” Test that love with time and see if their words will always be kind. If their words to you or about you over time does not obviously reveal their love for you by adding value to you they do not truly love you from the heart. Jesus proves this to be true by saying in Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

Prayer.
Dear Father, teach me to know how I ought to answer every man always. Let my words always be gracious, pleasant and winsome, seasoned as it were with salt that it may give grace and value to them that hear me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Proverbs 15:1, Proverbs 15:4, Proverbs 16:24.

Doing the Word.
Speak kindly and politely.

Read More

Love is unconditional.

Saturday, February  18th.
Love is unconditional.

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”          
1 John 3:18

There are some people who profess that they love someone, maybe their wife or their husband, but the truth is they do not actually love the person, what they really love is what the person means to them; for instance maybe what the person does for them or what they are enjoying because of the person or how the person makes them feel. The moment the person does not do those things for them anymore, or they are no longer benefiting anything from the relationship, immediately they fall out of love. If that is the character of your love, it means you do not truly know what it means to love someone.

As a husband, do you really love your wife as a person? Or you love her body, her voice, or you love her because she gave you children, you love her because she cooks well, or because she is neat? To the wife, do you really love your husband for who he is as a person? Or you love his money, you love his fine face, you love his prestige; his reputation and status.

All these features above that we may give as reasons why we love the person we are married to are based on human love. True love is unconditional. And if you have never learnt to love unconditionally, you do not know how to love.

Prayer.
Dear Father, stir up my heart to love the one you have appointed for me genuinely and unconditionally always, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Romans 12:9-10, Galatians 5:13-14, 1 Peter 1:22.

Doing the Word.
Let your love for your spouse not be based on their looks, their body or their money.

Read More

Love the undeserving 2.

Friday, February 17th.
Love the undeserving 2.

“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.”          
Proverbs 25:21-22

You know that you truly love when you can love the undeserving. Therefore if you can forgive the taxi driver who offended you. If you can forgive your landlord who insulted you. If you can forgive your boss who treated you unfairly. Then what about your wife? It should be easier for you to forgive your wife. This is why I keep on loving my wife more every day. There is a statement I usually make, “The day my wife deserves my love, I do not love her.”

Today I will like to bring to your notice that the very first time Jesus uses the word love was not in reference to loving your wife or your children, it was in loving your enemies. (See Matthew 5:44)

Loving truly is loving the undeserving. This is because if you can love the undeserving how much more your wife or your children. The Bible shows us the true character of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (GNB), “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal.” Love like Jesus. Judge the sincerity of your love along this premise stated above in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you because Your love has been shared abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit who lives in me. I am loving truly and patiently more each day, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Proverbs 10:12, Ecclesiastes 7:8-9,
1 Corinthians 13:1-8(AMP),

Doing the Word.
Meditate on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Read More

Love the undeserving 1.

Thursday, February   16th.
Love the undeserving 1.

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
Matthew 18:21-22

Peter one of the Apostles of Jesus wanted to know how many times he should forgive his brother that sins against him, he asked, “till seven times?” Jesus answered and said to him, “but, Until seventy times seven.” That is how many times we are to forgive those who offend us in a day.

You will agree that it is rare to find someone who will be able to sin against you seventy times seven times in a day. This shows us that we have a duty to keep on forgiving those who sin against us just like Jesus has forgiven us.

Choosing the path of unforgiveness is breaking God's Word. Therefore, our reaction to others reveals who we are. If you want to know who you really are, let somebody offend you, your true colour will come out. But if you are able to control yourself when others offend you and are still willing to forgive them knowing that you have an obligation to love according to the Word of God, you are truly an expression of who a Christian truly is. You are Christ revealed to your world.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you because your love in me is greater than the hate in the world, therefore I am strengthened by your Spirit to love unconditionally and also to overcome all evil with good, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
 Luke 17:3-4, Ephesians 4:31-32,
Colossians 3:12-13.

Doing the Word.
Keep on forgiving.

Read More

Love and the blessing.

Wednesday, February  15th.
Love and the blessing.

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8

When you are walking in love, the blessings of God flows in your life. If you find any man that is blessed of God, if you investigate further, you will find out that he is a lover. Someone spoke about how he went to see a great man of God in Nigeria who is said to be the wealthiest minister in the world. While he was with him, as they prepared to take a group photograph, he saw a family in distress in their church, not considering the fact that he was with visitors including visitors from outside the country, he walked away to the family to find out what the problem was. He was more concerned about that family than the group photograph with his international visitors. Are you that way?

Therefore when you see a man blessed, know that he is walking in love. This same man of God is the one that taught us the law of advance forgiveness. He taught that when you get married to your wife; forgive her for everything she will ever do to you in advance. Today they have a church of over four hundred thousand in one location.

I encourage you if you are a married man reading this devotional today; to start practicing the law of advance forgiveness. Forgive your wife in advance for anything she may do. That will usher you into the flow of the blessing in your life where you will have all your goals and dreams fulfilled. Such a life is founded on love.


Instruction.
If you are married pray for your spouse today; that your love for each other will abound more and more.


For further study, read:
Matthew 5:22-24, Ephesians 4:26, 1 Peter 3:7-8.


Doing the Word
Give advanced forgiveness to your loved ones.

Read More

Love like Jesus.

Tuesday, February 14th.
Love like Jesus.

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8

If you genuinely love someone, you will overlook their offense. This is because love is an unconditional disposition of goodwill to the undeserving. So when you do good to someone who does not deserve it, you are loving like Jesus. How much more your spouse, you should always do good to them even when they offend you and do not deserve it.

Holding bitterness in your heart against anyone is like drinking poison and expecting your enemy to die. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, “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 teaches us that our response to those who insult us or hurt us is for us to bless them. What about those who hate you? If you have any opportunity to do them good, do not turn away; do them good. If people are persecuting you, He teaches you to pray for them. Note that everything Jesus teaches us to do is what He Himself practiced when He walked this earth. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, what He said to those who tortured him and persecuted Him when He was not found guilty of any offense will let you know that He was love personified indeed. Jesus said in Luke 23:34, “… Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…” This same Jesus admonishes us today to love others even as He has loved us.    

Prayer.
Dear Father, I choose to let go of all offence and I choose to forgive all who have offended me. I receive grace to practically bless them, do them good when I have the opportunity and pray for them; that they will come to know the love of Christ, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Romans 12:14, 1 Corinthians 4:12-13,
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Doing the Word.
Love like Jesus.

Read More

Express divinity.

Monday, February  13th.
Express divinity.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
1 John 4:7-8

Love is the behavioural expression of the divine nature. Walking in love is proof that you are genuinely born again. If you want to know someone that is sincerely and authentically born again, it is through the love walk.

The Bible says in Romans 5:5b, “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Therefore, anyone who professes to be a Christian and yet cannot love others, their salvation is in doubt.

Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” This means that if you claim to be born again, the outward sign is your love walk. Anyone can claim to be born again, but Jesus is letting us know that the way we treat others will be a sign to the world that we are born again. Therefore, examine yourself. If we should use your love walk to determine if you are saved, will you pass the test? If you have difficulty answering that question and you are a Christian, it means you have to grow up spiritually. Begin to truly live for Christ and let His character be expressed through you as you learn to express His love and compassion to a dying world. The world needs you. Be God's agent of life and love to your world.

Instruction.
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 and then pray the prayer for yourself.

For further study, read:
Philippians 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10,
2 Thessalonians 1:3

Doing the Word.
Choose to love others intentionally inspite of their short comings.

Read More

Faith in God's love.

Sunday, February  12th.
Faith in God's love.


“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
1 John 4:16

Have you come to know and believe the love that God has towards you? There are some Christians who profess that God loves everybody, but they are not really sure and convinced that God loves them. As a result they abandon themselves to fate and hopelessness because they lack the revelation of God's love for them.

When you truly believe that God loves you, you will start expecting good things to happen to you. You will be able to believe for things to get better. It gives you a reason to live because your confidence in God's love makes you know that your loving Father will use His power for your benefit and cause all things to work together for your good. Things can only get better for you because you found out that you are the focus of God's love.

1 John 4:17 says, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” When God's love is fully perfected in you, you will have no fear of the day of judgment. If you have no fear of the day of judgment because you are perfected in God's love for you, then why should you fear today? Why should you fear what tomorrow brings? Perfect confidence in God's love for you, delivers you from all fear.

Confession.
I believe with all my heart according to Jeremiah 31:3 that God has loved me with an everlasting love. Therefore I am confident that all things will work together for my good because I love God, and because I am called according to His purpose, in Jesus' Name.

For further study, read:
Romans 5:5, 1 Corinthians 2:9, James 1:12.

Doing the Word.
Stop being anxious concerning the future.

Read More

The Word of love 2.

Saturday, February 11th.
The Word of love 2.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

The greatest proof of God's love for you was the death of Jesus Christ for your salvation. God was willing to lay down His only begotten Son for you to demonstrate the depth of His love for you. Therefore the death of Jesus Christ is an eternal reminder that you are loved by God.

Have unwavering faith in God's love for you as revealed in the Word of His love to you. The circumstances and situations of life should not be the determining proof of God's love for you. The Word of His love should be the anchor of your faith and firm assurance that God loves you.

This was what Jesus knew when He walked this earth. He had faith in the Father's love for Him. The Father said concerning Him in Matthew 3:17, “… This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Therefore, Jesus knew He was loved by the Father. But when satan came to tempt Jesus he wanted Jesus to prove His Sonship which was as a result of the Father's love for Him by turning stones into bread. Jesus’s response lets us know that the proof of the Father's love for us should not be because we had favourable circumstances. The proof that the Father loves us should be anchored on  His Word to us. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “… It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Therefore, it does not matter what I am going through I know my Father loves me. So whenever the devil puts that thought in your heart that, “if God really loves you, why are you going through all these things.” Your response should be according to the Word of His love in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” When you respond that way, the devil will flee from you.

Confession.
Nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Nay, in all these things I am more than a conqueror through him that loved me. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus my Lord.

For further study, read:
Romans 8:35-39, Ephesians 5:25-27,
2 Thessalonians 2:16.

Doing the Word.
Always respond positively to God's love for you.

Read More

The Word of love 1.

Friday, February  10th.
The Word of love 1.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”      
 John 1:1

Our opening scripture shows us that the Word of God is God. Therefore, if the Word of God is God as stated by our opening scripture and the Bible says in 1 John 4:8, that, “…God is love.” It also means that the Word of God is love. This means that the Word of God is the Word of love. So that means everything God has written in His Word were written out of a heart of love.

Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This means that without the Word of God there can be no faith, remember that we said that the Word of God is the Word of love. Therefore faith works by love according to Galatians 5:6. This means that faith is energized by love. So if your faith is going to be strong and operative, you must understand God's love for you.

Today I want to begin to share with you some truths about God's love for you that will inspire faith in your heart and help you to understand God's love more deeply. One of such truths is found in Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:  therefore  with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” This shows you that God's love for you is everlasting, in other words, God's love for you is permanent. God loves you so much He is not going to change His mind. Understanding this truth helps you to understand that God already loves you. His love is already within your reach according to His Word in John 3:16, all you need to do is to respond to His Word by having faith in His love for you. One of the ways we respond in faith to God's love for us is by accepting the sacrifice of His Son Jesus for us; receiving Jesus and confessing Him as your Lord and personal Saviour gives you access to the Father and delivers you from all condemnation and judgment. I encourage you to do this today if you are not born again or a backslider by praying the prayer below:

Prayer of salvation.
“O God, I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that He is the Son of God. I believe that He died for my sins. I believe with all my heart that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord. I take Him as my Lord and personal saviour. Jesus, come into my heart, make me a new person. I receive eternal life and the love of God into my spirit even now. Amen.”

For further study, read:
Romans 5:8-10, 1 John 4:9-10, 1 John 4:19.

Doing the Word.
Be confident in God's everlasting love for you.

Read More

How to love like God 3.

Thursday, February 9th.
How to love like God 3.

“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
1 John 3:16

Love is self sacrifice. That is how you know you love; there must be self sacrifice being demonstrated. If you are only thinking about yourself and what you want to get you are not loving, because in love there is no me, all you have is (you) the person who you love and we, no me.

In the realm of love there is no me. Me, myself and I is dead. When you are truly in love it is all about the other person. In John 3:16, the Father's love was all about us. When Jesus was hanging on the cross after He was nailed to the cross, He said, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…” Luke 23:34. Jesus was still thinking about their well being even when they were causing Him so much pain. He was still committed to their well being; that is true love. You never see Him talking about Himself.

Therefore if you are still only concerned about yourself, you have not yet come into the realm of love. You may be in phileo or eros but you are definitely not in agape. In agape there is no me. That is the secret to the power of God because such selfless love and compassion for others is the pathway to the supernatural.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that the love and compassion of Christ will flow through me to my world, in Jesus' Name, Amen.

For further study, read:
John 15:12-13, Romans 16:3-4, 1 John 4:11-12.

Doing the Word.
Love selflessly.

Read More

How to love like God 2.

Wednesday,  February  8th.
How to love like God 2.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16

Yesterday we began to glean from John 3:16 to see how God demonstrated His love towards us so that we will be able to learn how to do the same in loving like Him.

Today I want you to learn that God's love demonstrated to us added value to us. It brought us out of death to life. Therefore when you say you love anyone, one way you judge the sincerity of your love is by how much value you are adding to them. Are you willing to give them your best?

Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This act of love demonstrated by God to us shows us that love is a selfless commitment to the well being of the undeserving. This means that when someone offends you, instead of you to become cold towards them, you owe them an unconditional commitment to still do them good. Therefore, if your wife or your husband offends you, still do them good. That is God's love being demonstrated towards the undeserving through you.

Love is the opposite of selfishness. Love is selflessness.

Instruction.
Please read Philppians 1:9-11 and pray the prayer there for yourself.

For further study, read:
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, 2 Thessalonians 1:3,
2 Peter 1:5-10.

Doing the Word.
Commit to adding value to the lives of others.

Read More

How to love like God 1.

Tuesday,  February 7th.
How to love like God 1.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
John 13:34

Our opening scripture shows us the kind of love that God expects from us. He commands us to love others as He has loved us. So, the first thing we see in the context of our opening scripture is that love is a command. What is a command? A command is a non negotiable obligation. In other words, love is an obligation.

The second thing we see in our opening scripture is that we have been commanded to love others as he has loved us. So, how did He love us? John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son …” This shows us that love is the willingness to share even at the expense of self. In other words, if we are going to love like God loves us, we must learn to love selflessly. We should be willing to put others first.

We also see from the love that God demonstrated to us that love is an unconditional commitment to the well being of another. God showed us an unconditional commitment towards our well being by giving up His Son to save us when we were in sin. Therefore if the love you have for others is based on some conditions, then know you do not love like God. As a husband, is your love for your wife unconditional? As a wife, is your love for your husband unconditional? Examine your love based on these things; selflessness and having an unconditional commitment to the well being of others.

Instruction.
Pray for couples today, that God will cause their love for each other to increase more and more.

For further study, read:
1 John 2:8-11, 1 John 3:14-18, 1 John 3:23.

Doing the Word.
Fortify your marriage and relationships with the unconditional love of Christ.

Read More

Don't get defiled.

Monday, February 6th.
Don't get defiled.

“And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.”
Genesis 34:2

When you study your Bible, you will discover that sex outside of marriage is defilement. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Sex is only honourable in marriage that is why God is against illicit and casual sex.

Yesterday, we learnt that sex is a covenant. Therefore, when you lay with someone according to 1 Corinthians 6:16 you become one flesh with that person. Also, it is not just your flesh that is joined to that person; your soul becomes linked to that person as well. That is what is referred to as a soul tie. Sex outside of marriage is not fun it is defilement, since you will also be carrying both spiritual and family problems from that person. It opens you up to all forms of defilement and spiritual oppressions.

Therefore if you should see a fine woman as a single man, do not get carried away. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart. When you find your appointed one as a man or a woman and you get married to them, stay with them forsaking all others and God will honour that union with His favour and blessings.

Instruction.
Pray for every mature single out there, that God will lead them to their appointed ones, and deliver them from wicked and unreasonable men and women in their path.

For further study, read:
 Proverbs 2:16-19, Proverbs 5:3-15, Proverbs 6:24-32,  1 Corinthians 6:15-20.

Doing the Word.
Repent from every immoral relationship with the opposite sex.

Read More

Covenant love.

Sunday, February 5th.
Covenant love.

“And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”
1 Samuel 18:1

Agape love which is the God kind of love have got nothing to do with feelings. It can also be referred to as covenant love. This is the love that is expected to be between husband and wife.

In the Middle East, there is a saying which says, “Blood is thicker than milk.” We Africans say, “Blood is thicker than water.” Now why do they say that? You and your siblings all sucked from the same breast milk from your mother; therefore you and your siblings all have a special kind of love for each other, but when you enter into a blood covenant with someone, you move from Philadelphia which is brotherly love to Agape which is covenant love.

What is a covenant? A covenant is an incision where blood flows. A covenant is also a binding agreement between two or more persons that is sealed by blood. For instance, in a marriage, the covenant is consummated between the couples and sealed when the husband sleeps with his wife. That is why God is against sex outside of marriage because whenever you sleep with anyone you enter into a covenant with that person. And in a covenant whatever belongs to that person, belongs to you. The person's enemies become your enemies, the person's friends become your friends, and the person's problems become your problems. So you can imagine how many problems people inherit from others from sex outside of marriage.

Therefore, I want to encourage you to maintain purity and refuse to yield to the temptation to fall into fornication as a single or adultery if you are married. If you are married honour the covenant you have with your wife or your husband. If you are single honour the covenant you have with God until he brings you the one he has appointed for you.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you because Your love is abounding more and more in my heart in knowledge and in all judgment, that I may approve things that are excellent and that I may remain sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Genesis 2:24, Proverbs 5:15-23, Hebrews 13:4.

Doing the Word.
Maintain purity.

Read More

Choose to love.

Saturday, February 4th.
Choose to love.

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another …” Romans 13:8a

A great Prophet of God in America died and went to heaven and when he got to heaven, he said the Lord asked him one question, “Have you learnt to love?” So when he came back to life, one thing he always said and asked people was, “Have you learnt to love?” The reality is that you cannot truly love as you ought to unless you know what love really is.

If you ask some persons what love is, they will say love is a feeling. Love is more than a feeling, love is a choice. The Bible says in 1 John 4:7a “Beloved, let us love one another …” The word 'let' in the verse above is a permissive word, this shows us that we choose to love. This is why it is important for us to learn how to love God's way.

Choose to love unconditionally because loving God's way is the cure for all the ills in the society and the world. This is why from the time a child is born, love becomes a great necessity for the well being of that child. Therefore, when you bring a child into this world, it is important to love that child unconditionally. The reason why some children become vulnerable to the negative vices in society is because of the absence of God's unconditional love expressed towards them in their formative years. Love is what makes us secure, therefore love is a debt we owe to all men.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I receive grace today to love all men with the love of Christ fervently, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Romans 13:10, Colossians 3:14, 1 Timothy 1:5.

Doing the Word.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another.

Read More

Loving God's way.

Friday, February 3rd.
Loving God's way.

“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:14, 17-21

In understanding and applying the God kind of love, you must be willing to put away all the wrong teachings you may have received in the past concerning how to love. The purpose of this month's devotional is to teach us how to love God's way.

For instance, when you were growing up as a child, you may have been taught 'to love only those who love you or do you good'. You may have also been taught 'to retaliate with evil anyone who did you wrong'. This concept which many still hold is one of the major reasons why many do not succeed in their relationships and also why many marriages fail. There are couples who go into marriage with this wrong mindset concerning love. Therefore they always want to get revenge whenever their spouse does anything wrong to them. It ought not to be so. If your marriage is going to work and succeed, then you must commit to loving your spouse unconditionally. Give them advance forgiveness for all their wrongs. By so doing you will be truly loving like your heavenly Father.


Prayer.
Dear Father, I chose to give advance forgiveness to all who have wronged me. I let go of all offence even as I chose to love as Christ have loved me and given Himself for me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1 Peter 2:21-23, 1 Peter 3:9.

Doing the Word.
Do not seek to avenge yourself.

Read More

Unconditional love.

Thursday, February 2nd.
Unconditional love.

“… every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
1 John 4:7b        

Today we learn from our opening scripture that loving others unconditionally is one of the proofs of intimacy with God. So if you claim to be a deep Christian we will know by observing your love walk. One way we know a born again child of God is by love. By love here we are referring to agape; which is unconditional love.

Love is the essence of God's being. Love is God's nature. Therefore we can define love or agape as the behavioural expression of the divine nature.

The first use of the word love in the New Testament which is either translated as agape or agapao in the Greek is found in Matthew 5:43-45a, where Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: …” From the context in which love is used above, we can define love also as the unconditional disposition of good will to the undeserving.

Therefore, you can tell that you are expressing the God kind of love when you can sincerely express an unconditional disposition of good will even to those who do not deserve it around you.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I thank you because Your love has been shared abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit that you have given to me. Therefore, my love is abounding more and more towards the brethren and towards all men, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 John 3:14-16, 1 John 4:12, 1 John 5:1.

Doing the Word.
Love the undeserving unconditionally.

Read More

Agape.

Wednesday, February 1st.
Agape.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. …”
1 John 4:7a (GNB)

Our opening scripture shows us that love comes from God. The Weymouth New Testament renders it this way, “Dear friends, let us love one another; for love has its origin in God …” The love we are referring to here is the God kind of love, known as agape in the Greek. Every other kind of love is substandard to the God kind of love.

For instance, there is the love that exists between mother and child called storge. There is the love between friends or the love for things called phileo. There is also the romantic or sexual love called eros. None of these love listed above can be compared to agape; the God kind of love which is also the highest or greatest form of love.

According to Canon Ferrer, he said it seems like Jesus is the One that coined the word agape. He said so because he noticed that in all the previous writings before Jesus came, no one ever used the word agape. This clearly shows us in truth that agape has its origin in God. In this month's devotional, agape which is popularly interpreted as the God kind of love is going to be described to you from the scriptures. Therefore, welcome to the discoveries in the God kind of love that will teach you how to love the right way like your heavenly Father.

Prayer.
Dear Father, my heart is open to learn how to love just like Christ. I ask that your love will abound in my heart more and more in knowledge and in all discernment, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
1 John 4:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10, 1 Peter 1:22.

Doing the Word.
Judge your love life from the God-kind of love.

Read More