The Blessing

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Monday, April 30th, 2018

The Blessing.

“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.”
Numbers 6:24-27.

Today, I pray for you as a man sent from God that whatever you need for your assignment this year will enter your hands in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray for you that as you begin to apply the things that you have learnt in this month's devotional, may you experience speed in all you do.

I pray that everything that has been out of place in your life, will begin to fall into place, in the Name of Jesus.

I pray for you that whatever would have taken you a long time to get will come into your hands suddenly, in the Name of Jesus. May you begin to experience sudden miracles. May doors that have been shut against you open suddenly. May the visa you applied for come suddenly. May your appointed one show up suddenly. May you conceive suddenly. May your house be completed suddenly. May your admission come suddenly, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Declaration.
Father in the Name of Jesus, I declare by faith that I am favoured. The favour of God is working in my life. I am surrounded by the shield of favour, in the Name of Jesus. The Lord has favoured me. I have found favour with God and with men in the Name of Jesus. In my going out there is favour. In my coming in there is favour. In my lying down there is favour. In my rising up there is favour. The favour of God is at work in my life, in the Name of Jesus. I am blessed. I am highly favoured. All things work together for my good because I am favoured. In the Name of Jesus, the favour of God is working mightily in my life. Great favour is on my life, in the Name of Jesus. Thank you Father, for I have found favour with all people. Amen.

For further study, read:
Deuteronomy 28:1-13.

Doing the Word
Keep making these confessions over your life.

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Favour Gives Speed.

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Friday, April 27th, 2018

Favour Gives Speed.

“Praising God, and having favour with all the people…”
Acts 2:47

Favour gives you speed. Wherever there is favour there will be speed. Do you have favour? I heard the story of a young guy who was just playing football in Shell cup tournament in Lagos and some white people saw him, picked him up and the next thing he was in Chelsea football club. That is favour at work.

For instance, I know an individual who has been
playing football since I was twelve years old. Now I
am forty-one and he has not still found a club. It is
because of a lack of favour.

Favour is so important when it comes to your career because it will give you speed. Favour was one of the primary factors that led to Esther's success. She had favour with everyone she came in contact with. Esther 2:9 (AMP) says, “So when the king's command and his decree were proclaimed and when many maidens were gathered in Shushan the capital under the custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken to the king's house into the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. And the maiden pleased [Hegai] and obtained his favor. And he speedily gave her the things for her purification and her portion of food and the seven chosen maids to be given her from the king's palace; and he removed her and her maids to the best [apartment] in the harem.”

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that You give me good speed by Your favour throughout this year. Whatever others struggle to get, You will cause to come to me with ease, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Genesis 24:12, Genesis 27:20 (ESV), Isaiah 60:22 (NIV).

Doing the Word
Thank the Father for giving you good speed.

.

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His Presence Unlocks Favour

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Wednesday, April 25th, 2018

His Presence Unlocks Favour.

“And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”
Genesis 39:2-3

The presence of God in your life gives you favour. Our opening scripture shows us that Joseph had favour and rospered in a foreign land because he carried the presence of God with him. That is what the presence of God can also do for you in your life as a Christian if you will be
conscious of it.

Proverbs 16:15 (ESV) says, “In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.” This shows that every time I spend with God, I am unlocking favour. That is why when you spend time in the presence of God, it will release prosperity.

In the Lord's face there is life. So when the Lord's face shines on you; that is favour coming on you.
Numbers 6:25 (AMP) says, “The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;”

Psalm 84:7 says, “They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.”

The word strength in the verse above is from the Hebrew word, 'chayil' which means prosperity, wealth, etc. This means that they go from prosperity to prosperity and from wealth to wealth those who appear before the Lord. Therefore, every time in the presence of the Lord should lead to an increase of wealth in your life. Praise God.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that the grace for giving and a selfless commitment to you rest upon me mightily, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Confession.
In the Name of Jesus, I declare over my life according to the Word of God that the blessing is upon me. I am kept and preserved from all evil. The Lord causes His face to shine upon me and He has given me His peace. Peace in my heart. Peace in my home. Peace in my finances and even peace with my enemies, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Genesis 21:22, Genesis 26:24, 28, 1 Samuel 18:14 (NIV).

Doing the Word
Practice the presence of God; by praying and meditating on the Word of God under your breath or in your heart throughout the day.

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Expect Favour

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Thursday, April 26th, 2018

Expect Favour.

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
John 3:17

The finished works of Christ unlocks favour in your life. This is why you have to believe in the finished works of Christ and God's love for you. It has been said that good things happen to those who believe that God loves them. This means that when you believe that God loves you good things will come to you.

Therefore, I encourage you to believe in the love of God and also believe that God is setting you up for a blessing every day. Stop expecting something bad to happen to you. Instead, believe that God sets you up for favour everyday.

Our opening scripture shows us that God is not the one condemning you. He is not into condemnation, He is into redemption. I want you to know that no matter how much evil you've done, there is still hope for you. Accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Lord and Saviour.

Through Jesus we have access to the favour of God. “Through  Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.” Romans 5:2 (AMP)

I encourage you today to be conscious of God's favour and expect good things to happen to you.


Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that You give to me a revelation knowledge of Your everlasting love and kindness towards me, in Jesus' Name.
Amen.

For further study, read:
Romans 5:15-17, Ephesians 1:3-6, Ephesians 2:5-8.

Doing the Word
Meditate on Jeremiah 31:3 (MSG); “… "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!”

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Give Sacrificially

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Monday, April 23rd, 2018

Give Sacrificially.

“And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
Genesis 8:20-22

Sacrificial giving is important to the flow of favour. Noah gave sacrificially and God turned from cursing the ground and vowed never again to smite every living thing. Though man is not perfect but the sacrificial giving of one man caused the blessing to flow and all men found favour before God.

Also, as a result of this sacrifice, God blessed Noah and his sons. “And God blessed Noah and his sons,
and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.” Genesis 9:1-2.
In 1 Kings 3, Solomon gave sacrificially to God a thousand burnt offerings and he found favour before God. God visited him and gave him wisdom. “And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.” 1 Kings 3:4-5.

I encourage you to learn to give to God sacrificially
because it unlocks favour.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that the grace for giving and a selfless commitment to you rest upon me mightily, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
2 Samuel 24:24-25, 1 Chronicles 29:1-9, Malachi 1:11-14.

Doing the Word
Never give to God that which cost you nothing.

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THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY

THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY 

1 John 2:5-6 MSG

But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love. This is the only way to be sure we're in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived.

Romans 8:29 MSG

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.

The goal of the redemption is to reproduce a people who are like Jesus Christ. The goal is not prosperity. That’s a benefit. All the blessings of God are simply benefits. If we make the main thing, the main thing everything else will fall in place. 

This was Paul’s obsession. He focused on raising men and women who embodied and exemplified the visions, values and the virtues seen in the life of Jesus Christ. That is the Father’s dream; to see the Character of Christ reproduced in us. The character of Christ is embodied in the fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance. We ought to live the way that Jesus lived. That’s authentic Christianity. 

Paul’s personal testimony revealed his understanding of the words of Jesus in Luke 6:39-40, it reads thus, “And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:39-40 NKJV) This means that Jesus Christ our Lord wanted His disciples to be like Him.

In His words recorded in Saint John’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” (John 14:12 NKJV). In the New Living Translation, it reads thus,

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” (John 14:12 NLT) The Message Translation emphasizes it more strongly by saying, “The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it.” (John 14:12 MSG) Authentic Christianity is God doing the same works He did in Jesus Christ through you. It is the works of Christ reproduced in us. God wants to heal through you. He wants to do mighty works through us. See Mark 16:17-18; John 14:12-14.

Authentic Christianity is the Life, the Love and the Power of God revealed through us. Christianity is the Character, Charisma and the Compassion of Christ revealed through us. Christ should be seen in us and through us. Don’t settle for less. Christ didn’t die to make us orators. He died to make us like Him. Yes like Him in every sense of the Word. See Ephesians 4:15.

Furthermore, we read the testimony of the Apostle Paul recorded in Galatians 1:15-16 NKJV which says, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood.”

Paul understood that Christianity is Christ revealed through the human person. That was why he said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Christ in you empowers you to be, do or have all that God has ordained for you to be, do or have. Once again Paul says, “Christ in you is the hope of glory.” God wants to reveal His Son through you. That’s the essence of Christianity. Selah 

To be continued....

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Honour Your Man Of God.

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Sunday, April 22nd, 2018

Honour Your Man Of God.

“Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”
Galatians 6:6

Giving to your man of God can also facilitate the favour of God in your life. I encourage you to sow into the life of your man of God consistently because the seed you sow into his life has a perpetual harvest.

In 1 Kings 17:8-16 (MSG), a widow sowed into the life of the Prophet Elijah in a time of famine and by so doing perpetuated a harvest that flowed in her life throughout the famine season. The dryness did not affect her house as a result. “Then God spoke to him: "Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you." So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, "Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink." As she went to get it, he called out, "And while you're at it, would you bring me something to eat?" She said, "I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don't have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we'll die." Elijah said to her, "Don't worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you've said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what's left for you and your son. This is the word of the God of Israel: 'The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.'" And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said — daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn't run out and the bottle of oil didn't become empty: God's promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!

Instruction.
Sow a seed of prayer into the life of your man of God today. You can pray and ask God to continually anoint him with fresh oil according to Psalm 92:10 and also to strengthen him with might in his inward man according to Ephesians

For further study, read:
1 Corinthians 9:9-14 (NIV), Philippians 4:15-19 (NIV), 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

Doing the Word
Sow into the life of your man of God materially
consistently as God has blessed you and you will continue to increase.

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A Bountiful Eye

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Saturday, April 21st, 2018

A Bountiful Eye.

“He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.”
Proverbs 28:27

Giving to the poor also facilitates the favour of God in your life. Do not turn away from helping those who are less privileged around you. Find a way to help them. It is one of the ways you can perpetuate favour and the blessing in your life.

Proverbs 22:9 says, “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.” Know that every time you help someone that is less privileged than you, you provoke a blessing.
Proverbs 19:17 says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”

Also, it is important for you to give to your parents.
Exodus 20:12 says, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Some people honour only their father or their mother, God commands that you honour them both. Even if your parents are separated, God still expects you to
honour them both.

“Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
Ephesians 6:2-3. According to this verse, if it is not well with you, I can trace it to your disobedience of this commandment of honouring your parents. The scriptures cannot be broken. John was the apostle of Jesus that lived the longest; he was the one that took care of Jesus mother. They tried to kill him, but they could not. He was the one who honoured Jesus mother. Therefore, I encourage you to honour your parents.

Instruction.
Sow a seed of prayer into the lives of your parents today. (You can also call them and find out what their prayer request are and then agree with them.)

For further study, read:
1 Kings 2:19, Proverbs 20:20, Proverbs 23:22-25.

Doing the Word
Sow honour to your parents consistently; by giving care, providing, obeying, speaking well of them, etc
consistently as God has blessed you and you will continue to increase.

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Do You Tithe?

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Friday, April 20th, 2018

Do You Tithe?

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 3:10-12

Giving your tithe facilitates the favour of God in your life. Tithing is an expression of our honour and trust in God as our source.
Abraham was the first person who tithed in the Bible showing us that tithing pre-existed the law.
“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven
and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:” Genesis 14:18-23.

Through tithing, we are able to acknowledge God as our source and only resource.

Prayer.
Dear Father, as I tithe, I declare that the windows of heaven are open over me, my household and all I lay my hands to do. You pour out upon me a blessing that I will not have room enough to receive. I rebuke every form of devourer concerning my business, my body and alI that concerns me. I am blessed, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Deuteronomy 28:12, Malachi 1:6-9, Malachi 3:8.

Doing the Word
Express your honour and acknowledgement of God as your source by tithing.

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Generosity

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

Thursday, April 19th, 2018

Generosity.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 7:12

Generosity or kindness also helps to facilitate favour. Therefore, if you sow kindness to others, you will reap it also.

Proverbs 19:22 (TLB) says, “Kindness makes a man attractive… ” This shows that the attractiveness of a man is in his kindness. When you are kind and generous you will always have favour.

When you are a person that is always asking and seeking for free things from everyone, it shows that you are a selfish person. Selfishness will not facilitate the favour of God in your life.

Giving facilitates favour in your life. One of the things that you should give scripturally as a Christian is your first fruit. Ezekiel 44:30 says, “And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to
rest in thine house.” Do this because as you do, you are activating favour.

Prayer.
Dear Father, I ask that You cause the love and compassion of Christ to flow through me to everyone within my sphere of contact, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study, read:
Genesis 4:1-4, Genesis 22:15-18, Hebrews 11:4.

Doing the Word
Be generous and kind to those around you, also learn to give God your best.

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