Thursday, January 31, 2013

SACRIFICING AT WHAT COST

..."I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." - 2 Samuel 24:24
  One day I was having lunch with a man who had a certain amount of notoriety in his life. After a time of getting to know each other, he said, "How can I help you?" Those words surprised me coming from a man who obviously already had many requirements on his time. My first thought was that I was impressed with the individual. My next thought was to wonder whether it was a genuine offer or just an effort to impress me with his humility and Christian piety. I have since discovered he was sincere. This encounter reminded me that each of us must be willing to give to others without a motive to get anything in return. It is simply an act of serving others. Jesus said that we must consider others more important than ourselves. When is the last time you did something for another without a motive of getting anything in return? When King David came to offer a sacrifice and pray for the removal of a plague on Israel, he was given the opportunity to make the sacrifice without the cost of purchasing the sacrificial animals. But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped (2 Samuel 24:24-25). David, understanding the principle of giving, said he could not offer anything to God that did not cost him something. Otherwise, it was not a sacrificial gift. When was the last time you sacrificed for another with no expectation of getting anything in return? We can all give something to others, such as our time, our money, or our expertise. This is real Christianity that models the Spirit of Christ. The next time you meet with someone, why not consider how you might be a blessing to that person. Why not ask, "How can I help you?"

Monday, January 28, 2013

RCCG Fasting February 2013 Prayer Guide

RCCG Fasting February 2013 Prayer Guide

"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." Malachi 4:2
It was few weeks ago that the sun of year 2013 appeared with the Sun of righteousness Himself standing by it. The message of the Sun sent to us through His representative, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, at the very beginning, has given us the assurance that, as we journey towards the Sun of Signs and Wonders, very soon, in His wonderful ways, either as a Nation, family, or an individual, the shadow of our burdens will be cast behind us.
Naturally speaking, it is noted that the same sun from above that solidifies the clay melts the snow! Hence the manifestation of Signs and Wonders could be in favour of a man or otherwise, depending on the spiritual nature of the person before God.
Now, there can be no Signs or Wonders without certain notable challenges. Therefore, this year will also be noted for HIGH PRAISES and INTENSIVE PRAYERS to our God, whose name is WONDERFUL.
As we stand before Him like Elijah, praise Him like David, confess Him like Daniel and the three Hebrews, you are welcome into the realms of SIGNS AND WONDERS.
WEEK ONE (FEBRUARY 1-2)
THANKSGIVING
  1. Thank God for His mercy on RCCG. Rom. 9: 15-16
  2. Thank God for what He is doing in Nigeria.
  3. Thank God for His mercy all over the world.
  4. Thank God for not allowing the enemy to have none of his ways on RCCG Ps. 124.
  5. Thank God for His awesome moves in RCCG. Ps 136
  6. Thank God for not allowing perpetual civil war to exist in many part of Africa
  7. Thank God for what He has done for you and every individual in RCCG. Ps 138
  8. Thank let us Bless the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the growth of Christianity in the Asian Continent.
  9. Thank God for Daddy and Mummy G.O and for His mercy on them Exod. 33:19.
  10. Thank God for calling and backing up Daddy and Mummy GO in the ministry.
  11. Thank God for mercy on the family of Daddy GO.
  12. Thank God for divine health in the family of Daddy G.O
  13. Bless the name of the Lord for backing Daddy G. O up in the ministry
  14. Thank God for all the souls won through Daddy G..O 's ministry
  15. Thank God for not allowing the enemy to cage us and our home.
  16. Thank God for providing for our home.
  17. Bless the name of the Lord for His mercies over our home.
WEEK TWO (FEBRUARY 3-9)
FOUNDATION FOR SIGN AND WONDERS
  1. Ask God to open the eyes of His children to see their spiritual state
  2. Ask for unity in the body of Christ all over the world. Acts. 2:1-5
  3. Pray for pure and total repentance in the body of Christ Ps 51
  4. Pray that people of God will be willing to wait on the LORD and renew their strength. Isaiah 40:28-31.
  5. Pray that people of God will stop relying on their understanding. Prov. 3:5-6
  6. Pray for right association for the children of God. Prov. 13:20
  7. Pray that God will open the eyes of His Children to the importance of giving.3:9
  8. Pray that God will help his Children to depart from wicked acts. Prov. 15:8
  9. Pray that the fear of the Lord will rule the people of God .Prov.3:7-8
  10. Pray for the heart to obey the great command Mark. 16:15-17
  11. Pray that people of God will abide in Him. John 15:1-16
  12. Ask God for the grace to love one another. John 15:17
  13. Pray for the people of God to be people of Integrity.
WEEK THREE (FEBRUARY 10-16)
PRAYER FOR DADDY G.O
  1. Pray for peace in the health of Daddy G. O
  2. Pray for God's mercy concerning the healthy family living
  3. Pray for more physical strength for Daddy GO as he clocks 71
  4. Pray that God will favour the family of Daddy GO with divine health.
  5. Pray that the hand of the lord will be upon Daddy G.O to out run the Ahab that is working against their ministry as he celebrate his 71st birthday.
  6. Pray that every cloud of darkness that may be gathering around the ministerial assignment of Daddy and Mummy G.O should disappear for the light to prevail
  7. Pray that no secret of the enemy shall be hidden in the Lives, home and ministries of Daddy and Mummy G.O.
  8. Pray that God will surround Daddy G O's family as mountains surround Jerusalem. Ps.125:2
PRAYER FOF EASTER LET'S GO A FISHING
  1. Give all the glory to God for the reality of the power of resurrection. Matt. 28:1-4.
  2. Thank God for using this program to populate His kingdom. Acts. 2:37-47.
  3. Pray for more strength for Daddy G O and all the Pastors, Ministers and workers, that God will use them mightily this Easter Let's Go A Fishing. Deut.33:25; Josh.14:11; 1Chron.29:12; Josh. 14:9.
  4. Pray for divine visitation during this Easter Let's Go A Fishing all over the world. Ps.111:9; Ps.113:9-10; Jer.20:113; Gen.49:25.
  5. Pray for the purpose of God to be established in the life of God's children in this program.Eccl.8:6; Rom.9:1; Eph.1:11.
  6. Ask God to deliver every captive of the mighty.Isa.49:24-26.
  7. Pray for full restoration in this Easter programPs.126:1-6.
  8. Commit the Engineering department, Choir, Ushers, Prayer Warriors and other workers in the church into the hands of God in this program.
  9. Pray against the kidnappers, ritual killers and armed robbers. Ps.124:6 Prov. 15:30.
  10. Pray for your Province, Pastors, Ministers, Workers and yourself.
WEEK FOUR FEBRUARY 17-23
PRAY FOR THE WORLD.
  1. Ask God to be merciful to us in Nigeria especially the children of God Exod.20:6
  2. Ask God to visit Syria and Libya with mercy Romans 9 :16
  3. Plead the blood of Jesus to cancel the covenant of death and destruction of lives in
Nigeria and the country of Africa where ritual killings is prevalent
  1. Pray that Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will be prevalent in the Western world where gun violent is the order of the day.
  2. Send the spirit of confusion of language into every camp of the enemy where intimidations, killings, bombing and destructions of properties is originating from all over the world. gen. 11:1-9.
  3. Decree that every gathering to kill and destroy be frustrated by the Blood of Jesus in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Isa. 54:15.
  4. Pray against civil war in Mali.
  5. Decree peace upon Abuja in Nigeria.
  6. Pray against unrest and civil war in all African countries.
  7. Pray that the terrorists and all other related sect from today should begin to attack and destroy each other continually forever. Isa 49:24-26, Gen.11:1-9
PRAYER FOR APRIL 2013 HOLY GHOST SERVICE FOR CHILDREN
  1. Thank God for all the past Special Holy Ghost Services for Children Ps. 127:1-3
  2. Pray that God will confirm the word of Daddy G.O concerning his request for seventy thousand children to mark; his 70th birthday this, year
  3. Thank God for all the unusual miracles He is going to do this time around Deut. 11:3; Jn.6:2
  4. Pray that God will be merciful and remember the barren and those suffering from secondary infertility in this program as Daddy has asked God for seventy thousand children from God. 1Sam.1:16-20.
  5. Plead the Blood of Jesus to frustrate every programmed evil accident and traffic jam on Lagos - Ibadan express way on every roads of Nigeria that weekend.
  6. Pray that God will use Daddy G O like never before that weekend to use the word of God to reshape every altered Destiny in the life of the children that will be in the program.
  7. Pray that God will anoint all the children to fulfill their destinies.
WEEK FIVE FEBRUARY 24-28
PERSONAL RETREAT, WAITING, DEDICATION AND WORSHIP
"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isa.40:29-31
  1. Confession of sin. Zech. 3:1,3; Ex. 20:1-5
  2. Repentance. Zech.3:7
  3. Pleading for mercy. Ex. 20:6, Rom. 9:15-16
  4. Ask God to rebuke Satan on your behalf. Zech. 3:2.
  5. Ask God to remove every filthy garment, you may be wearing. Zech. 3:4
  6. Ask God for a new garment. Zech. 3:5

Friday, January 25, 2013

HORIZONTAL VS VERICAL

Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. - Exodus 2:12
  Moses saw the pain of his people. He saw the bondage and the injustice. His heart was enraged, and he decided he would do something. He would take matters into his own hands. The result was murder. The motive was right, but the action was wrong. He went horizontal instead of vertical with God. Moses fled to the desert, where God prepared the man who would ultimately be the deliverer of a nation. But it took 40 years of preparation before God determined Moses was ready. He was a professional businessman - a sheepherder. It was during the mundane activity of work that God called on him to be a deliverer. Moses was like a lot of enthusiastic Christian workplace believers who seek to solve a spiritual problem with a fleshly answer. The greatest danger to the Christian workplace believer is his greatest strength - his business acumen and expertise to get things done. This self-reliance can become our greatest weakness when it comes to moving in the spiritual realm. We're taught to be problem solvers. But, like Moses, if our enthusiasm and passion are not harnessed by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will fail miserably. Peter had to learn this lesson too. His enthusiasm got him into a lot of trouble. But God was patient, just as He is patient with each of us. Sometimes He must put us in the desert for a time in order to season us so that Christ is allowed to reign supreme in the process. Before you act, pray and seek the mind of Christ until you know it is God behind the action. Check it out with others. You may save yourself a trip to the desert.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

CALLED TO SOMEONE VS SOMETHING

"But the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name'" (Acts 9:15-16).
  Sometimes we can place the idea of calling too much on the thing we do versus the One we are called to serve. Paul said that he was "called to be an apostle." This has made some feel that if we each do not have a "special call" then we are second class citizens. Paul saw his calling like any other believer's call to salvation and obedience. We cannot negate the fact that God did call Paul in a dramatic encounter with the Lord that had broad significance to the rest of the Body of Christ. And, there are assignments that are going to impact the Body of Christ more than others. However, this is not the case for every believer and we should not feel slighted should we not have the same level of call. Every believer shares the same basic calling with Paul, "as a bondservant of Jesus Christ, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ," as he says in (Romans 1:6). Paul was saying to the Roman Christians their call was the same as his. They were not all apostles, but they were all "called of Jesus Christ." For most of us, God will work out His calling upon our lives in many different and varied ways. Like Paul and the rest of the New Testament Christians, we are all called with the same glorious calling and thus stand as equals before God.

Monday, January 21, 2013

THE SKILLFUL WORKER

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men. - Proverbs 22:29
  The Lord has called each of us to be excellent in what we do. Those whom God used in the Kingdom as workplace ministers were skilled and exemplified excellence in their field. Not only were these men skilled, they were filled with God's Spirit. Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship" (Exodus 31:1-5). Consider Huram, the master craftsman of bronze in whom Solomon entrusted much of the temple designs. He was a true master craftsman (see 1 Kings 7:14). Consider Joseph, whose skill as an administrator was known throughout Egypt and the world. Consider Daniel, who served his king with great skill and integrity. The list could go on - David, Nehemiah, Acquilla and Priscilla. I recall the first issue of an international publication we began. It was common to hear the comment, "It doesn't even look like a Christian magazine." They were saying the quality and excellence exceeded what they equated to Christian work. What a shame. Has inferior quality become synonymous with Christian work? May we strive for excellence in all that we do for the Master of the universe. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).

Friday, January 18, 2013

STANDING IN THE GAP

I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. - Ezekiel 22:30
  The people of Israel fell into sin when they worshiped the golden calf. It would not be the last time God's people would fall into idol worship. They had forgotten the great things God had done for them. This angered God so much that He was going to destroy the whole nation. Only one thing changed God's mind in the matter -- Moses. Psalm 106:23 says, "...had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them." Moses was a man willing to stand in the gap, sacrificially, for those who were not deserving of such sacrifice. This sacrificial love by Moses is called for among His people today. The prophet Ezekiel described another situation in which God's people fell into sin. God was ready to destroy the nation when He spoke to Ezekiel, asking him if there is a man willing to stand in the gap so that God would not have to destroy His people. Judah was a man who stood in the gap on behalf of his younger brother Benjamin. Joseph held his brother Simeon hostage as insurance that the other brothers would bring Benjamin to Egypt. Judah had a long history of a me-focused life, but in this instance he came forward to stand in the gap for his younger brother. He responded to the anguish of his father, Jacob, by personally guaranteeing the safe return of both Simeon and Benjamin. Judah's sacrifice was rewarded (see Gen. 42-43). Just as Christ did, we are to be those who will stand in the gap on behalf of others who are not aware of their own vulnerable condition. It is a proactive sacrificial position. Who is God calling you to stand in the gap for? Perhaps it is a mate; perhaps it is a coworker who has not come to know the Savior; perhaps it is a wayward child. Are you willing to become the sacrificial offering to God to change His plans of judgment because of your willingness to stand in their place? This is a hard teaching. This is what Jesus did for each of us. When we stand in the place of another, God moves because of our willingness to stand on their behalf. If we don't, His plans will go forward because He is a righteous and holy God who will honor His own word, even if it means destruction. Are you willing to stand in the breach of the wall for someone today? Perhaps you are the only person who will stand on someone's behalf.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

IT'S TIME FOR A FUNERAL

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20).
  "There's nothing wrong with you that a good funeral won't solve," I said to the woman. "I'll even send you flowers!" She smiled in response. I was speaking figuratively to the woman who was stressing out about an issue in her life. Her problem was the same problem most of us have - too much of "us" and not enough of Jesus and the cross. Many of the daily problems in life can be solved by coming to an end of ourselves so Jesus can take over. I believe this is what the psalmist meant when he said: "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Ps 116:15). The apostle Paul recognized the need for a funeral too when he penned these words: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Rom 6:1-4). Whenever we stress over a matter, get angry over a daily circumstance, or seek to have our own way - it is a sign there is still life in the grave. We need to fill it with dirt and smother the life of our flesh so that Christ may live freely, unhindered by the "old" man. Send yourself some flowers today. Have a good funeral.

Monday, January 14, 2013

MOVE ON!

..."Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on." - Exodus 14:15
  Moses had brought the whole nation of Israel, approximately 600,000, to a dead end in the desert. The only thing between Israel and Pharaoh's pursuing army was the Red Sea. This was after ten plagues God had inflicted on Pharaoh to motivate him to free the Israelites. Finally, Pharaoh had freed Moses and the people, and they left Egypt. They thought they were home free. "Freedom at last," they said. But God did a strange thing. He directed Moses to take a route that led to the Red Sea, instead of the northern route around the Red Sea. God explained that He didn't want them fighting the enemies they would have encountered on this route. But still, there was the issue of the Red Sea. They finally arrived at the Red Sea, and the people were wondering where they would go from there. News hit the camp: Pharaoh had changed his mind. He was coming after them with his army. Panic set in. The defenseless Israelites cried out, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?...It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (Ex. 14:11b-12) God sometimes brings each of us to a "Red Sea" in our life. It may be a work problem that can't be solved. It may be a marriage that seems to be failing. It may be a debilitating disease. Whatever your Red Sea, God tells us one thing: "Keep moving." The Red Sea was before them, yet God was angered at Moses and told him to "Keep moving." "But Lord, the Red Sea is before me." "Keep moving." When we live by sight, we act on what we see. God sets this stage in dramatic fashion. God is into the dramatic. There is no way out without God here. That is just the way He wants it. No one will get glory except God. A friend once admonished me when I was in the midst of an extremely difficult time in my life, "You must not withdraw from being proactive in your faith just because of this trial that you are in. God's hand is on your life. There are too many who are depending on you to fulfill the purposes God has in your life. Keep moving! Keep investing yourself in others." I didn't feel like it. I was in too much pain. But I did it anyway. God met me at the point of my greatest need once I decided simply to be obedient. Getting past myself by investing myself in others helped heal the pain. There is great healing when we look past our own problems and seek to invest ourselves in others for the sake of Christ. This is when our own Red Seas become parted. We begin to walk to freedom. But we will never experience the miracle of the Red Sea in our lives if we don't first "Keep moving."

Friday, January 11, 2013

OBEDIENCE

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all. - Exodus 5:23
  Have you ever felt that the more obedient you are to following God, the more adversity there is? Moses had been instructed to go to Pharaoh and tell him to release the people of Israel. God had said He was going to deliver the people through Moses. The only problem is that God did not tell Moses at what point they actually would be released. When Moses complained to God, the Lord told Moses that He had to harden Pharaoh's heart in order to perform greater miracles. God was behind hardening Pharaoh's heart. We forget that the king's heart is in God's hand. God had a specific reason for each plague and each delay. God said to Moses, "I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord" (Exodus 10:1b-2). God has a reason for everything He does. These delays were designed to bring greater glory to God and were to be a lasting legacy of God's miracle-working power for generations to come. When the people were freed, God again hardened Pharaoh's heart to go after them. This action of God to harden Pharaoh's heart was to set the stage for an even greater miracle -- the parting of the Red Sea. The people were angry with Moses for bringing them to the desert "to die." But God said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on" (Ex. 14:15b). There was only one place to go by this time -- the Red Sea. God parted the Red Sea, and another greater miracle took place. Moses learned several lessons that each of us must learn. God's promises are true, but His timing is not the same as ours. God always wants greater glory than what we might be willing to give Him. God puts obstacles and adversity into our lives in order to build perseverance and faith. Why has God put the mountain in your life at this time? To demonstrate His power through your life. To show His glory.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

WHEN YOUR SAILS NO LONGER HAVE WIND

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven (Ps 107:29-30).


Imagine for a moment you began an exciting sailing adventure. You've been trained to navigate and sail on the ocean and be ready should trouble arise. You are confident you can handle the challenge. However, midway in the journey your resources have dried up. It almost seems God has intentionally destroyed all the skills you have to deal with the weather and the obstacles and your sails are now damaged. Even your engine has broken down. And to make matters even worse, your oars were lost overboard. You are stuck in the middle of the ocean and there is no wind to propel your boat. You are, as they say, "up the creek without a paddle." All of this leads you to the end of yourself and you say, "Lord, I don't know why you brought me out here only to die." The silence is deafening. Finally, the Lord speaks, "Yes, you are right. I did bring you out here. I did destroy your sails. I did break your engine. And yes, I do want you dead. Not in a physical sense, mind you, but in a spiritual sense. In order that you may LIVE." "You see my child, you are nothing without Me. You cannot do anything without my grace and power in your life." The sailor quietly yields. Suddenly, a gentle wave lifts the front of the boat. An easterly wind blows through the broken sail moving the boat in the right direction. You realize God is moving your boat! Your role now is to steer it. Do your sails no longer have wind to move you? Is your engine broken? Does it feel like God has propelled you into the open sea only to stop midway with no options? Perhaps He is saying it is time to die in order that He might live through you. Give the Lord total control today and you will see His wind moving through your tattered sails.

Monday, January 7, 2013

THE PURPOSE OF THE DESERT

Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. - Hosea 2:14
 If you have an important message to convey to someone, what is the best means of getting the message through? Have you ever tried to talk with someone who was so busy you could not get him to hear you? Distractions prevent us from giving our undivided attention to the messenger. So too, God has His way of taking us aside to get our undivided attention. For Paul, it was Arabia for three years; for Moses, it was 40 years in the desert; for Joseph, it was 13 years in Egypt; for David, it was many years of fleeing from King Saul. God knows the stubborn human heart. He knows that if He is to accomplish His deepest work, He must take us into the desert in order to give us the privilege to be used in His Kingdom. In the desert God changes us and removes things that hinder us. He forces us to draw deep upon His grace. The desert is only a season in our life. When He has accomplished what He wants in our lives in the desert, He will bring us out. He has given us a mission to fulfill that can only be fulfilled after we have spent adequate time in preparation in the desert. Fear not the desert, for it is here you will hear God's voice like never before. It is here you become His bride. It is here you will have the idols of your life removed. It is here you begin to experience the reality of a living God like never before. Someone once said, "God uses enlarged trials to produce enlarged saints so He can put them in enlarged places!" He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me (2 Samuel 22:20).

Friday, January 4, 2013

A NEW CREATION

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor 5:17).
  A mulligan is a golf term which allows a player to play a second shot off the first tee if the first shot is poor. It's a second chance to get a fresh start without penalty. Sometimes in life we need a mulligan - a new start. Christ represents the invitation to throw away our first life and begin anew with Him as a new creation. The Promised Land represented a new life for the people of Israel who had lived a life of bondage and slavery in Egypt. It is also symbolic of a new life in Christ. It says we are no longer going to be driven by the appetites of our old nature, but Christ now lives in us to live a righteous and holy life. It does not mean we're perfect, we're just forgiven. The new life in Christ has nothing to do with church attendance or even doing good things. Christ said there will be many people who will claim Him as their Savior but they never really knew Him. In other words, there was no evidence of the living Savior in them. "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matt 7:22-23). Jesus invites everyone to partake of the new life He offers. We only must believe, invite him to remove our sins and allow Him to live as Lord through our lives. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me?" (Rev 3:20). If you've never had a mulligan in life, now is the time to let Jesus give you a brand new start. Ask Him for that new start today.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

THE PURPOSE OF ELEVATION

"And the Lord said to Joshua, 'This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.'" (Josh 3:7-8).
 Joshua had been a faithful number two man under Moses for 40 years. Can you imagine serving one man for 40 years? Now that is faithfulness! Even so, when the time came to pass the mantel to Joshua, God knew he needed to be elevated in the eyes of the people in order for Joshua to accomplish his purpose. That is the purpose for elevation - so that you and I can fulfill our purpose and our mission. We are not called to elevate ourselves. If we elevate ourselves before our time we will short circuit God's plans for our lives. We will not have the same level of grace as we would have if it were in God's perfect timing. Jesus refused to let others elevate Him or make Him into something contrary to His purpose. Moving into a job or responsibility before we are ready is a formula for failure. We may not be mature enough. We may not have the proper skill set. Let God elevate you in His timing and you will be successful in the thing He created you to be and do.