POTENTIAL VS GREATNESS

MEMORY VERSE: verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my father, John 14:12

BIBLE VERSE: Josh 9, Ps 140-141, Jer 3, Matt 17

Every child has the potential to be great, but not all become great. Every male child has the potential to become a father, but not all become fathers. Likewise every female child has the potential to become a mother but not all become mothers. Every child of God has the potential to do the works that Jesus did while he was one earth. Mark 16:17-18 says and these signs shall follow them that believe; in my names they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing , it shall not hurt them; they shall lays on the sick, and the shall recover them. Despite the fact that every child of God has the potential to do all these, there are still few who are yet to speak in tongues.

There is no one alive without a potential, whether they will fulfill their potential is another issue. There are many who know their future. For example I know my tomorrow will be alright because the book of Isaiah 3:10 says that say to the righteous it shall be well them. There are few who the Lord has shown a glimpse of their future. Many have dreamt that they laid hands on the dead and the dead came back to life; many have received prophecies that they are going to become great evangelists; many have seen themselves getting married with kids and living in a big mansion. All these are potentials, fulfilling them is another issue.

There are two factors that will decide whether you will fulfill your potential or not – words and action. The words you speak to yourself and the words spoken to you. Numbers 14:28 says as you have said in my ears, so shall I do. It does not matter what God has in store for you, if you confess something negative I can assure you that is what you will get. God has given some people authority over your life. They are your parents – spiritual and biological. Their words can shape your life. If your father or mother says it shall be well with you, i can assure you it will be well with you but if he says the opposite, God help you. If you please your spiritual father and he blesses you from the bottom of his heart, the Lord who called him will say a big amen. If you do otherwise and he curses you, you are in big trouble. This is why you should do everything to get a blessing not curse from your parents or pastors. Your actions will also decide whether you will fulfill your potential or not. Proverbs 22:29 says seest thou a diligent man, he will stand before kings not mean men. A brother with potential who refuses to work hard will become slaves to the diligent who has no potential. Romans 6:1 say shall we continue in sin and ask for grace to abound? Shall we continue to disobey God and expect Him to make us the head and not the tail? God forbid.

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me fulfill my potential in you.

Share this:

A TIME TO FLEE

MEMORY VERSE: a prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished, Proverbs 22:3

BIBLE VERSE: Josh 8, Ps 139, Jer 2, Matt 16

The bible teaches that there is a time to flee if you are to achieve your purpose on earth. In Genesis 27:41-45 after Isaac had blessed Jacob, Esau arose and said he was going to kill him; Jacob fled. If he had not fled, Esau would have killed him and all the blessings would have been lost. Immediately after the 3 wise men departed, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, he told him to take the baby and the mother and run to Egypt because there is a wicked king who wants the baby dead, Matthew 2:12-15. A time to flee is when the Almighty tells you to flee. There is also a time to run to battle. The bible records in 1 Samuel 17:14-51 that David charged at Goliath. In Exodus 5:1 we see Moses who had been running from Pharaoh for 40 years standing before him and demanding that he should let the children of Israel go. 

When you are dealing with external forces it is time to run to battle. Isaiah 54:17 says no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises against you in judgment shall be condemned. James 4:7 says resist the devil and he will flee from you. When you are dealing with demons, it is time to run to battle but when you are dealing with false brethren it is a time to flee. The question is this, how do I know when to flee? Proverbs 22:3 says a prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished.

What I am supposed to flee from? Anything that will annoy God. One of the things we need to run from is poison. Tithes are poison and should not be eaten, Malachi 3:8-11. Tithes belong to God so flee from nonpayment of tithes! We need to also flee from anything that dishonors God. When you do things that cause people to say ‘and you call yourself a Christian’ you are dishonoring your God. Proverbs 3:9-10 says honor God with your substances and the first fruit of your increase. If you do not honor God with these you are dishonoring Him. 2 Timothy 2:22 says flee from youthful lusts. What are youthful lusts? Fornication and adultery.1 Corinthians 6:18 says flee fornication. The bible says rebuke the devil but when it comes to fornication you have to flee. If someone is trying to suggest sex with you and you are not married to them, you are to flee from such not rebuke them! Another thing to flee from is inordinate ambition, 1 Timothy 6:9-11. Flee from get rich quick schemes like stealing and fraud. Get rich quick schemes kills and it gives first class ticket to hell.

QUESTION: What is it that you are doing that is causing people to say and you call yourself a Christian? Repent of such immediately.

Share this:

ARE YOU SAVED

MEMORY VERSE: Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissions of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, Acts 2:38.

BIBLE VERSE: Josh 7, Ps 137-138, Jer 1, Matt 15

Two friends went to church one evening. As they sat one of the workers approached them and asked the younger one are you saved? He said no, the worker witnessed to him and told him why he needed to give his life to Christ. The worker moved to the older one sitting right beside the younger one and asked the same question, ‘are you saved’? The older friend didn’t want to be bothered by this worker so he said ‘yes’. The worker said praise God and he left. Few weeks later the older friend was sitting at home on a chair talking to his sister. As they were talking, the man said something and the sister replied hoping to get a response from his brother but there was no response. Out of curiosity she looked at the direction of her brother and saw him sitting with his head slumped forward. The man was dead! The man died without been saved.

Today I post the same question to you, are you saved? The fact that you are born into a Christian family does not mean you are saved. The fact that you don’t cheat on your wife or consume alcohol or have boyfriends and girl friends does not mean you are saved. The fact that you are part of the choir or play musical instrument in the church does not mean you are saved. I need not to inform you that you are not saved by church attendance. Judas Iscariot rarely missed church services yet he betrayed Jesus. The fact that you have said the sinner’s prayers does not mean you are saved. I remember as a young boy I was going through mum’s drawers when I saw a Christian literature. Since I had nothing to do I read it and I found the sinner’s prayer at the back. I said the sinner’s prayer although I didn’t really mean a word of it. Several years later I began to visit brothels and indulge in other vices. One night I had a dream where I had the opportunity to see my past. It was until then I knew that I wasn’t saved at all. Thank God for the opportunity to give my life to Christ.

In Acts 2:14- 38 some group of people heard a message like this and their hearts were pricked. They asked the question, what shall we do to be saved? Acts 2:38 says then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissions of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Repentance is necessary for salvation! Without true repentance there is no salvation. What we find today is remorse not repentance. Remorse is a deep and painful regret for wrongdoing but repentance is not just one feeling sorrowful for an offense, but it means to completely turn away from that sin.

QUESTION: Are you saved?

WONDERS OF HIS TOUCH

MEMORY VERSE: and the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel, 1 Kings 18:46

BIBLE VERSE: Josh 5, Ps 132-134, Is 65, Matt 13

BIBLE STUDIES: 1 Kings 18:41-46

A wonder is anything that makes you to wonder. According to Isaiah 9:6 one of the names of the Most High is wonderful i.e. full of wonders. There are hands and there are hands. I want to tell you that not all hands are the same. The bible says and it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed, Exodus 17:10-13. The reason why Moses let down his hands was because his hands were aching; he was well over 80 years when this happened. The question is this since Aaron and Hur were standing by him, why didn’t they hold up their own hands when Moses let down his hand? Aaron was a priest and Hur was an elder so any of the two could have held their hands up and expect victory. These two elderly men knew that the hands of Moses were not ordinary hands or common hands. There is a hand far more powerful than the hands of Moses and that is the hands of the Almighty. Psalm 136:12 describes God’s hand has a strong hand.

When the Lord touches a life , that life becomes a wonder. In John 9:1-10 Jesus anointed the eyes of a blind man with clay and told him to go and wash it off. The man came back and everyone opened their mouths and could not close it. Bible scholars told us that the man was not only born blind; the man was born without eyes. This was why the disciples asked Jesus ‘whose sin it was for this man to born this way?’ Since Jesus was the creator, He made clay out of mud and anointed where the eye was meant to be. The man went to wash and came back with two pair of eyes. The whole neighborhood began to argue that it was not the man who was born without eyes. Just by virtue of His touch of Jesus, this man became a wonder within an hour.

When the Lord touches a fellow, the fellow begins to do wondrous things. In 1 Kings 18:41-46 the Lord touched Elijah and he outran the best chariot in Israel. Bible scholars said the distance between Mount Carmel and Jezreel was 17 miles. Elijah was not dressed in athletic gears neither did he have trainers on. He had never had athletic training and neither had he competed in such before. He was not a young boy but an old prophet of God. Now imagine such a man outrunning a chariot pulled by the best horse in Israel over 17 miles? That is a wonder!

PRAYER POINT: Father, please touch my life, business, relationship, finance, spiritual life with your mighty hand.

ACTIVATING THE POWER OF GOD

MEMORY VERSE: and it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them, Luke 5:17.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Josh 2, Ps 123-125, Isa 62, Matt 10

BIBLE STUDIES: Luke 5:17-26

In our bible studies is a story we all know. Jesus was teaching in a particular house and everyone came to hear him teach. The power of God was present to heal every sick man and woman in the gathering. While He was preaching some men with stubborn faith brought their paralyzed friend, they tried to come through the door but could not because of the crowd so they decided to use the roof. When they finally got their friends to Jesus, He told the paralyzed man to stand up and walk. The paralyzed men stood up and began to walk.

Anywhere Jesus is; the power of God is also there. This is because all power in heaven and on earth has been given to Him by the Father, Matthew 28:18. Anywhere the name of Jesus is mentioned, the power of God is present. This is why at the mention of the name of Jesus knees bow, Philippians 2:10. Every time we gather to pray, the power of God is present. Matthew 18:20 says where two or more gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. 

On that day the power of God was present to heal everyone in attendance, Luke 5:17. The question is how come only the paralyzed man received his healing? The answer is only the friends of the paralyzed man activated the power of God through their faith. A generator has the potential to produce power for your appliances. For power to be generated you need to turn on the generator. The generator could be there for twenty years, if you do not turn it on it will not generate power for your appliances. You can pray for as long as you want,to activate the power of God in your life you need faith. Not too long ago I had a big challenge at work. I was suspended and invited for a final hearing. I had only 5 per cent chance of coming back. I remember the Friday before the Monday of my final hearing, I met one of my colleagues at work and he said ‘how far’? I told him I will back on Tuesday the day after my hearing. That is faith .Anyone in my shoes will be looking for jobs but I didn’t because I knew I will be going back.Even though defeat was guaranteed I told everyone I will be back and to God be glory I came back. 

TO PONDER ON: It is your faith that activates the power of God.

NEVERTHELESS NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE, BE DONE

MEMORY VERSE: saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done, Luke 22:42.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Josh 1, Ps 120-122, Isa 61, Matt 9

God has a will for every of His child. The Lord is a good God, He wants the best for every of His child. Jeremiah 29:11 says for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. God has a will for every aspect of your life. There is a place He wants you live. There is a job He wants you to do. There is a course He wants you to study at the University or vocation He wants you to learn. There is a particular person He wants you to marry. It is important to know His will for your life. If He wants a fellow to do catering and the fellow decides to go and study law, if care is not taking that fellow may struggle in the legal profession. I pray you will not struggle for life Jesus name, amen.

Before embarking on that project or business or course, know His will for your life. Don’t do things because everyone is doing it, it could be His will for them but not His will for you. Many a time His will differs from our will. The will of Isaac was to go to Egypt because there was great famine in the land but the will of God for Him was to stay in the land ravaged with famine, Genesis 26:1-3. Isaac stayed in the land and was mightily blessed by God. Whether you believe or not, seeking greener pastures is not always the solution to hardship. The solution is knowing the will of God for your life. At times the will of God may not appeal to our human sense of reasoning or logic. The logical thing to do was to go to Egypt where there was plenty of food but Isaac remained in the will of God, he became mightily blessed to the extent that a whole nation envied him.

When you allow His will to override your will, you will have reasons to thank God. Luke 22:42 says saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Jesus permitted the will of the Father, to override His will. Today He sits at the right hand of the Father. Not only that at the mention of His name, all knees in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth bows, Philippians 2:9-10. It is not advisable that you let your will override His will because the end result of such practices is not always palatable. The will of God for Jacob was Leah, but he preferred Rachel the younger and more beautiful sister. God did it in away where he ended up with Leah, but he tried to override that and ended up marrying both. Before you know it, Rachel started stealing and they began to call him a thief, Genesis 31:19-36. If not for God, Laban almost killed him for what Rachel stole. Jacob learnt the hard way but I pray this will not be yours in Jesus name.

PRAYER POINT: Father ,let your will be done in my life.

GOD DOES CHANGE HIS MIND

MEMORY VERSE: wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before for me ever: but now the Lord saith, be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honor; and they that despise shall be lightly esteemed, 1 Samuel 2:30.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deut 33-34, Ps 119:145-176, Isa 60, Matt 8

 

Malachi 3:6 says for I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. When God said I change not, what did He mean by that? It simply means He is the same i.e. His character remains the same. According to Hebrews 13:8, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Character of God is love. His character is not informed by circumstances or events.This is why He gives rain to the just and the unjust. Numbers 23:19 says God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Once God speaks it is as good as done. Psalms 33:9 says for he spake, and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast.

 

When you study the scriptures carefully you will find out that God changes His mind. Psalm 115:3 says but our God is in the heavens; He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. The same God, who said no, can change His mind and say yes. In Isaiah 38:1-5 God sent a prophet to tell King Hezekiah to put his house in order because he was going to die. When Hezekiah got the message, he went before the Lord. He said in heaven there are over a million angels praising You, on earth the numbers of those that praise You daily are few do you want to reduce the numbers by one ? The Lord told the prophet to return and tell the king that He has added an extra fifteen years to His days.Who says God does not change His mind?  Isaiah 48:22 says there is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord. The same God says in Ezekiel 18:27 if the wicked repents and changes his way, he will live. God changes his mind. He is sovereign; He can decide to show mercy.

 

God is sovereign.  He can change His mind and this is where we all need to be very careful. 1 Samuel 2:30 says wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house , and the house of thy father, should walk before for me ever: but now the Lord saith, be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honor; and they that despise shall be lightly esteemed. The same God who said Eli and his children will serve before Him forever changed His mind and said they will be beggars in His house. I pray this will not be our portion in Jesus name. It does not matter what promises God has made to you if you dishonour Him in any way, He can decide to put those promises on hold until you change. At times He can even withdraw His promises; I pray this will not be your portion in Jesus name.

 

PRAYER POINTS: Father, please bring those mighty promises of yours to pass in my life.