FORGIVE! FOR YOUR SAKE

Matthew 5:7 says blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Unforgiveness is a powerful tool in the hands of the enemy and he has used it rob many of their healings, breakthrough and blessings. What unforgiveness does is it shuts the heaven over an individual. One can pray but as far as there is unforgiveness, there is a possibility that such prayers will not b
e answered. Mark 11:25 says and whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Before God restored Job, He first dealt with the unforgiveness that could stand in the way. He told Eliphaz and
the other two friends in Job 42:7-9 to take an offering to job so that he can forgive them and pray for them.

You may not belief this but there have been cases of women who the Lord told to go and forgive their husbands or someone who mistreated them before they can conceive and have children. I think I should this testimony of a pastor friend. Several years ago when he was still a brother, he went into transport business with his very close friend. The business was doing well, they normally meet at the end of the year to share profits and plan for the next year. This particular year they met as usual and the friend declared no profits but loss. After investigation, the brother found out that his friend had misappropriated the funds and he was unhappy. He became angry and never forgave this friend. Several weeks later the Holy Spirit fished out the friend in the church and he confessed. He was asked to go and make restitution. The friend approached this brother to apologize but this brother did not want to even see him. No matter what the friend did, this brother did not forgive. Few months passed, the friend began to prosper and buy new cars while things began to go the other way for this brother. This brother petitioned God that why should the man who dupe him prosper while He suffers. The Lord told him listen “your friend is prospering because I have forgiving him but you are yet to forgive. I cannot forgive you and bless you until you forgive him.” Thank God the brother was wise, he quickly forgave his friend and things changed. I think I should share this too. A particular sister suffered break down because her fiancée made another lady pregnant. Her world literally collapsed because that man was the only man she ever trusted in her life. She was so disappointment and this caused a deep wound in her heart. A year later due to the recession; she lost her lucrative job and was employed for almost two years. She was a trained accountant; she applied for all sorts of jobs and got nothing. She prayed and fasted nothing happened. The pastor bounded and loosed nothing happened. While discussing this year, for some unknown reasons I began to talk to her on the subject of forgiveness. She said there is someone that offended her but she forgave but not from the heart. We advised her
to forgive and she did. A month later she got a job after two years and to cap it up God has brought another brother!

ACTION POINT: Forgive that brother, sister, friend, family out of mercy so that God can show you mercy.

GOLD IN THE MOUTH OF FISH PART 2

Proverbs 11:30 says the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise.

In Matthew 17:24-27 is a well known story. Jesus was asked to pay temple tax so He told Peter to go to the sea, cast in a hook, take the first fish that comes up and open its mouth. He told him to use the money found in the mouth of the fish to pay the bill. The question is why could Jesus not pay the bill from His pocket or take some from the money bag to pay the bill? We know from reading John 12:6 that Jesus and His disciples had a money bag from which they took money to take care of the poor. Why the need to go all the way to the sea to catch a fish that has money in its mouth?

Jesus did this to teach His disciples of the importance of evangelism. When we talk of fishing we know biblically fishing symbolizes evangelizing. Jesus was trying to tell His disciples that for every fish they catch for Him, there is gold in its mouth. For every soul we win for Jesus we get gold. When I began to go to church my attendance was terrible. I will go this Sunday and will not go for another couple of Sundays which was my routine back then. There was this particular sister who kept on encouraging me and my attendance improved. After a while I began to witness about Christ. It was in the course of witnessing I met an unemployed Muslim sister. I began to witness to her but I was not making progress at all. I spoke to a brother about this and he told me I needed to show her Jesus cares by first caring for her and assisting her. I did as I was advised, on my way to our weekly church service I called this sister (Muslim) to meet me after church that I have something to give to her. While the service was going on in the church, the Holy Spirit began to tell me to give the money to the sister that used to encourage me to come to church when I first joined. I put the money in an envelope and gave it to her. On my way home I met with the Muslim sister and assisted her with some money too. As I was opening the door to my house my phone rang and when I checked, it was this sister from church. When I picked it up, she began to cry and thank me. I was deeply touched , i knew God had touched her in a way she never expected. She prayed and prayed and prayed for me. I did not know what she was going through and she did not mention it but what if she had not encouraged me to come to church regularly, would the Lord have been able to use us (me) to meet her needs? I do not know how many people God has sent to her on that day that has refused but one thing I know was that day God gave her gold for witnessing to me. Proverbs 11:30 says he that wins soul is wise. Please witness about Jesus, you never know who you will win for Jesus. That person may be the key to solve a particular problem or breakthrough in your life.

PRAYER POINT: Father make me an incurable soul winner.

THE REWARDS OF PERSISTENCE

Romans 2:7 says to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:

In Matthew 15:22-28 is a story we all know. A woman came to Jesus about the condition of her daughter. The daughter was demon possessed and things were going out of hands. Despite all she was subjected to, she stayed and continued to ask for help, Jesus prayed and her daughter was healed. From this story there are one or two things to learn about persistence. Firstly, when you are persistent at something, those who ignore you will begin to notice to you. At first Jesus seem to ignore her to test her faith but because she was persistent Jesus had no option than to notice her. People around blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:42-56 knew him but they never gave him attention. Although Bartimaeus was at the road usually begging he was invisible, but immediately he began to persistently cry for help people began to notice him. Elisha and Gehazi in 2 kings 8:4-17 had been going to the house of the great Shunamite woman to eat but they noticed nothing, but as she persistently fed them and looked after them, one day the man of God noticed that she had everything money can buy but lacked one thing only God can give which was a child. Secondly, when you persistently knock on any door, the door will eventually open. The Great Shunamite woman kept on looking after the prophet and at a point she received her breakthrough. Everyone kept on telling Bartimaeus to shut up but he persisted and he received his sight. The woman in Matthew 15 did not take no for answer and at last her daughter was delivered.

Thirdly, when you are persistent those who have turned you to a laughing stock will later congratulate you on your breakthrough. Because of the woman's persistence, Jesus recognized her and congratulated her on her persistence. After Bartimaeus received his sight, when he shouted praise God those that were telling him to keep quiet were the first to shout Hallelujah. Romans 2:7 says to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. Persistence in doing good works brings rewards.
It does not matter the number of times you have failed at that endeavor, persist in making efforts and one day you will breakthrough. God may have assigned a task or two to you and whilst you are putting all your efforts into it, no one seems to notice but I can assure that your time has come today in Jesus name, amen!

ADVICE: Persist in that endeavor because a day is coming when the world will notice you, you will breakthrough and those who doubted you will congratulate you.

BE AN EAGLE

Isaiah 40:31 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.

I have always told people that out of all birds, the Lord loves the Eagle the most. Why? Well, the Eagle is the most favored bird. When you look at God’s favor, it is always directed at those He loves. For example the Lord loves the righteous – Psalms 33:5, and surrounds them with favor – Psalm 5:12. Because of His love for the Eagle, He ensured that out all the birds, only the Eagle is permitted to fly close to the sun. When we talk of flying close to the sun, we are talking real close. While flying around and hunting, debris gathers around the Eagle and this weighs it down. To get rid of th

is debris, the Eagle flies so close to the sun so that the heat from the sun melts the debris weighing it down. Also from time to time the Eagle goes so close to the sun so that the rays and heat from the sun can burn off the films that develops over its eyes and its vision is renewed .Any other bird that tries to go as close to the sun as the Eagle will either lose its eyes sight or something worse will happen. Asides flying close to the sun, the Eagle flies at an altitude that other bird can only dream of. Proverbs 23:5 says the Eagle soars to the heavens. While normal birds lay their nest on trees, according to Job 39:27-28 the Eagle lays its nest on very high mountains where no prey can reach.

Why does the Lord love this breed of bird specially? How come they are the only bird enjoying special favors? Firstly, the eagle does not touch dead animals or unclean things. The vulture eats anything but the Eagle will never go near dirty thing or unclean thing. Secondly, the Eagle depends on the wind to soar. Once the Eagle sees a storm coming from afar instead of running like other birds it simply uses the wind of the storm to lift itself high above the storm. Brethren anyone who wants to enjoy special favors from God must do away with unclean things i.e. sin. Anyone who wants to operate at altitude others can only dream off must depend on the Wind which is the Holy Spirit according to John 3:8. Without these two, enjoying favors will be impossible, and also achieving what people can only dream off will be impossible too. Daniel excelled so much in His endeavor because the Holy Spirit was operating at full blast in his life. The bible records in Daniel 6:3 that Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent Spirit was in him.

Prayer Point: Father, fill me with the Holy Spirit that i might be able to fulfill destiny.

ALL POWER BELONG TO GOD

Psalm 62:11 say God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

After the Philistines took the ark of God in 1 Samuel 5:1-5, they set it before Dagon their national god. Dagon was a very huge statue. By the time they came back the next morning, they saw this huge statue fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of God. They did not understand, they thought may be a wind blew overnight or the statue was not standing properly so they set in its place again. By the time they came the next morning , the saw Dagon not only fallen on its face to the earth but the head and palms of Dagon broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. It was then they knew that, Power exceeds power. There is no power that can be compared

to the power of God. It does not matter what name they call it, before God they are nothing. Who is Baal before God? Who is Dagon? When the Lord visited Egypt in Exodus 7:17-21, Hapi –god of Nile began to vomit blood. When Pharaoh continued to harden his heart because he thought he had Hapi, God ensured that Hapi began to vomit frogs! Exodus 8:5-6.

One early morning while I was walking and praying, I saw a man at a particular bus stop shouting and saying some strange words. The only thing I noticed was there were no one standing with him at the bus stop and everyone passing seem to prefer to use the other side of the road. As I approached him he stopped and when I got to him he began to shout again but because I was really busy praying I ignored him and walk past him. After taking five or six steps past him, something arose in me, I began to feel uncomfortable about this man shouting strange words behind me so I decided to go back and tell him to keep quiet in the name of Jesus. As I turned back to go to him we made eye contact and he kept quiet. I stood there waiting for him to speak but he kept quiet. I turned back and began to walk thinking he will continue shouting but he just kept quiet. I walked for another five minutes but he just kept quiet. The man did not keep quiet because of me, actually as a matter of fact if he were to have his way he will probably harm me. This force in this man kept quiet because of the Jesus I serve. The force in the man saw the spirit of God and it kept quiet. John 1:12 says but as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Every believer has the right to the power of God.

PRAYER POINT: Father , I have received Jesus as my personal Lord and savior , Please give me power.

Jehovah Jireh

Psalm 23:1 says The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

There is a very difference between needs and wants.’Need’ is a basic living essential i.e. if you do not have it, you could die while ‘Want ’ is something you feel you need ,or you really desire. God is not only able to meet your needs but your wants also. The Psalmist say in Psalm 23:1 that even his wants will be catered for. Why is the Lord able to meet needs and wants? Because according to 1 Corinthians 10:26, the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. Genesis 14:22 calls Him the possessor of heaven and the earth. Because everything belongs to Him, He is able meet our needs regardless. Have you ever wondered where the ravens that feed Elijah in 1 Kings 17:2-6 got the bread and meat from? When the Lord asked Elijah to go to the house of the widow of Zarapheth, it was because the brook dried up not the bread and meat. God’s supply can never dry up.

Jehovah Jireh means the Lord will provide .Sometimes back the Lord helped us to understand the meaning of Jehovah Jireh. While I was praying, the Holy Spirit told me to bless a particular sister with a token. I did not really feel comfortable with the idea because I did not want the sister to read funny meanings to it. Besides the funny meanings she might read to it, the amount was quite small and honestly I would have love to give her more but that was all I had in the world . I thought giving her such an amount will be an insult and she would get angry and I will be lucky if all I get is a slap. Anyway I summoned courage and made attempts to contact her but I did not get through. I tried for three weeks but for one reason I could not reach her. When I got hold of her over the phone, I gave her the message from the Lord and she was reduced to tears. She told me things had gone so bad that she was just managing until this morning (because I spoke to her in the evening) when things went from bad to worse. She could not feed herself and her junior brother. She thanked and prayed for me. A week later, the Holy Spirit asked me what I learnt from what happened. I said I learnt that you are a God who meets needs and you can bring help from anywhere. He said not only that, I make provisions ready long before the needs for it arises . He further explained to me that when He told me to give her a token, everything was alright with the sister; she did not really need the token then. That was why I could not get through to her. Immediately the need arose, that was when I got through to her. Long before her situation went from bad to worse, the Lord had made preparations to cater for her needs. Can I tell you that long before that problem started, Jehovah Jireh had created a solution? Long before that need arose, Jehovah Jireh had prepared the resources you need to cater for the need.

ACTION POINT : Go ahead and thank Him because long before you were born , he had provided the solutions to every challenges you will ever face.

HAVE YOU GIVEN YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST?

Luke 6:38 says Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

When we give something out, that thing no longer belongs to us. How that thing is used is little of our business. In Legal terms, when you give something out, you are transferring the right of ownership to another person. When we give our lives to Christ, we are transferring our right of ownership to Jesus. We are saying from this moment onward, I belong to You- Jesus. From that day onward we seize to own our life. The totality of our life – our strength, our hopes, our resources, our times, our future, our challenges, and our failures in life e.t.c now belongs to Jesus. Basically once we give our lives to Christ everything we own now belongs to Jesus. Our resources now become a

tool for Him to propagate the gospel around the world, to feed the poor and needy, orphans and widow. He now uses our strength in His vineyard. He now uses our time for His own business. Many of us say we have giving our life to Christ but how many have actually given all to Him without withholding anything back? If Jesus should speak now and say My son or My daughter , i want you to leave everything you have worked for all your life , i need to send you to a missionary field for only two years ,how many of us will say Ok Jesus with a smile on our face ?

What are advantages of giving once life to Jesus? From the moment you give your life to Jesus your life no longer belongs to you. The responsibility of protecting your life now becomes that of Jesus not yours. I am yet to see any demon in hell that will come near what belongs to Jesus. When give Him our mourning, He turns it into dancing, Psalm 30:11. When we give our failures to Him He turns it into success Luke 5:1-7 .Just give Him your resources and He will multiply it like He did for the boy who gave five bread and two fishes in Matthew 14:13-21.Once we give our body to Him , what we will eat ,wear and shelter becomes His responsibility. When we give Him our time, He will visit us and fill us with His presence and the bible records in Psalm 16:11 that in the presence of God is fullness of Joy. If we give all to Him – our Life, He will take it and in return give us eternal life. Jesus says in Matthew 16:25, those who lose their life for my sake will get it back. According to Luke 6:38, For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me today to give my life to you the way i am meant to.