Bible In One Year –Day 24 (January 24, 2014)

In Ex5:2, Pharaoh asked, out of ignorance, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice …” Pharaoh was enjoying his inflictions on the Israelis. He thought he was the most powerful king on earth and that for Moses to come in and demand for the freedom of the Israelis was an insult on him. If the Israelis had a God, why were they in bondage? That particular Pharaoh grew to know Israelis as slaves, instrument of hard labor, inferior persons and so there was not any reason for their freedom. To Pharaoh, the Israelis were not human beings because he loved and respected animals more than them. He preferred the death of 10 Israelis to the death of one of his cattle. That was why Moses said if they had to kill an animal for sacrifice in the land of Egypt, they would be stoned. People looked at pharaoh as a god. From chapter7, God started introducing Himself to Pharaoh. The magicians were the first to recognize God’s act, Ex8:19.

Exodus 8:19 “Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: …”

Reading Isaiah44:24-27, you could see the mightiness of God JEHOVAH. He takes no non-sense from the enemies of His children. He declared “I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him”, Ps89:23. I pray for you that any authority standing against your moving to the next level shall be plagued and wiped off by the finger of God Jehovah, in the name of Jesus. A child of God should not give up in any spiritual battle. It could be more dangerous doing so. Ex8:15 says “… Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart ….” Don’t ever give the enemy a breathing space until you get your total deliverance. Many people run into the church when they are faced with problems. Devil being a deceitful foe (Ex8:29) cannot stand the finger of God. What he does is come and speak silently to you “you have been fasting, praying, giving your tithe and attending church all this while, what has it done for you. Get out and forget about prayers. It is not as hard as that …” This is what we call satanic sermon and a weak Christian yields to that. Many are very close to their breakthrough, the enemy takes the burden away temporarily and such leave the presence of God. Whoever read Ex8-11, prayerfully, will know that it is quite dangerous to give up when in battle with the enemy. Is the devil using your spouse, children, career or wellbeing to inflict hardship, don’t give up. Very soon the Lord, who seats in the heavenly places, shall laugh them to scorn. In Ex9:11, the magicians were silenced with torture and in Ex10, Pharaoh’s servants are confronting Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s kingdom was breaking apart gradually. The Israelis became spectators to the gradual destruction of the confidence of their problem. What do you think of Isa30:15, “… in quietness and in strength shall be your strength, …” God was using that to write a testimony for them, their children and the unborn, Ex10:2/Joel1:3. I pray for you that you shall soon share your testimony in the name of Jesus. Moses stood his ground of total (not compromising) deliverance; “… not a hoof shall be left behind. …” Ex10:26.  This should be the heart of a child of God. You should reject every compromising demand and suggestions of the enemy. Anything you leave behind could be a point of contact for the enemy to stage a comeback. Even the profits the enemy made over you should be spoiled in the power of the Holy Ghost and the name of Jesus. Has the enemy taken over your marriage, career, children, finance or health? Don’t give up. Keep the fire of prayer burning and alive. Prayer: Any gain of darkness over my life, I spoil you by the fire in the Blood of Jesus (by this you recover whatever you have lost to the enemy). The next mile in the trip is Exodus11-13. Keep the fire burning and alive. Tell somebody about JESUS today!!!

Bible In One Year-Day 23 (January 23, 2014)

Ex4:30-31 “…Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; …” God sent Moses to two sets of people; The Israelites (His people) and Pharaoh (representing the prince of this world) in Egypt (representing the world). To the Israelites, he told them God wants them out of Egypt because their cry got to Him. To Pharaoh, God only gave him the privilege to know about the mission (whether he liked it or not). For this assignment to be done, Moses must make the people of God believe in the mission, i.e. get their mind prepared and ready for the battle because Pharaoh will not let go easily; also to win their confidence. Those signs made them to believe, just as Jesus declared in John4:48.

John 4:48 “Then said Jesus to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”

There is a difference between ‘belief’ and ‘faith’. To believe is to accept or have confidence in the capability of something based on evidence on ground; while still considering fear. Faith, on the other hand, sees beyond the present appearance of any threat, i.e. no fear is considered even if the situation seems fearful or without any supporting evidence for its ability. Faith carries the element of total trust with it. The Israelites failed in their journey because they traveled in belief only (with fear still in them, i.e. without faith despite all evidences) and that was why God was angry with them, “… Children in whom is no faith”, Deut32:20. Many Christians are actually in this state; they pray in fear and not in faith, confess in fear, not in faith. By believing we are justified, but by faith we become the righteousness of God and sanctified. Faith is a gift by the Holy Spirit that purifies the heart (Acts15:8-9) and it is only received by hearing the word of life, John6:63.

Acts 15:8-9 “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”

If the Israelites had rejected Moses, he wouldn’t have been able to bring them out of Egypt. Christians who stand to pray in fear find testimonies hard to obtain because fear is a stronghold for Satan. In the state of belief, one can waver; when it is tough, God is doubted, but when there is a little relief, ‘God is good’. This was Moses’ trouble with the Israelites after his meeting with Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s action after the meeting with Moses and Aaron is what we call satanic rage in spiritual warfare. This happen when you start praying the correct and target hitting prayer; the kind of prayer that shakes the ground and destabilizes the camp of darkness, Acts4:24-31. The rage of the enemy is just for him to become food for the sword of destruction Jer46:7-10. I love the way it is expressed in Jer46:17; ‘just a noise’. I pray that the satanic noise of the enemy that is giving you concerns be silenced in the name of Jesus. In Ex6, Moses went to meet the Lord to tell Him about his plight. God promised great deliverance, not with the known name, but with a new name for that purpose; JEHOVAH!!! A name that turns the confidence of the enemy against the enemy; what used to be the enemy’s satisfaction is now turned to problem, and the comfort became a concern. In Ex7, the waters in the river was supposed to give Pharaoh the morning comfort, but it became a concern. When you call on that name, what you are saying is that you want God to use what the enemy has, to fight the enemy. JEHOVAH means the God of salvation, Ex6:6/Isaiah12:2.

Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”

By this name, He uses everything necessary to rescue His people from satanic bondage. The enemy may be heady, he is just a noise, he might pose to you as a lion in the dream, let him know that you are a child of the Lion of Judah. Anyhow the enemy appears to you, God is always there to raise a standard against him, Isaiah59:19.

Isaiah 59:19 “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”

The Apostles, Acts4, prayed the prayer of faith, the earth shook. You must have confidence and faith in the name of the LORD, you must add faith to the calling on the name of the LORD;

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”

Faith in that name makes it work for you according to the meaning of the name you call. Jehovah Jireh is the God that supplies sufficiently, Jehovah Rappha is invoking the power of mysterious healing (Isaiah53:5), Jehovah El-Shaddai is the God that is bigger than all your problems and mountains. Only by faith are you counted as a descendant of Abraham, Gal3:7-9.

Galatians 3:7-9 “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel to Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

God appeared to His people in diverse ways in the past and so He is called by the particular action He took in those circumstances. But He has exalted the name of Jesus above every name attributed to Him as a result of His submission to death. While He was walking on earth, the name Jesus was just Jesus; but after death, God exalted that name. There is therefore not any other name that supercedes the name JESUS. You may call Him with those names to magnify Him, only the name JESUS shakes heaven, earth and even hell (i.e. darkness).

Philippians 2:8-11 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS! When you talk in that name, all attentions are drawn, in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth. However, if the name is not from a genuine heart, Satan may attack such person. This is why you must be part of God’s household by giving your life to Jesus before you can be qualified to use it with result.

Prayer: O God JEHOVAH, arise, and shake the camp of darkness into desolation, in the name of Jesus. Next mile in the trip is Exodus8-10. Keep the fire burning and alive. Tell somebody about JESUS today!!!

Bible In One Year- Day 22 (January 22, 2014)

Our reading through the book of Genesis shows us the fall of man, the plan of God for our salvation and redemption, the choice of Abraham for this plan, the experiences of the vessels for this plan, the fulfillment of signs that shows that God is still committed to His plan (e.g. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph had prophetic signs, each, as points of contact for their faith towards God’s promises) and, finally, the flow of vision and purpose. God’s choice of Abraham in His plan to restore the world started with a special covenant relationship. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob respectively symbolize the personalities of the trinity as we discussed yesterday. Joseph was just a symbol of purpose; as a vessel that needed to be refined and purged and as bones in the coffin. No wonder Jacob claimed his sons in his place, Gen48:5-6, to make up the required number of tribes for a nation. For as long as those bones were there, purpose was sustained. The dry bones you are seeing in your unfavorable situation, to man, it means hopelessness, but to God they are anchors of faithfulness and unusual miracles, Ezek37. Those dry bones, very soon, will grow sinews, muscles and life will enter into them, in the name of Jesus. Don’t give up. The book of Exodus started with Jacob and not Joseph. That is, the chosen people went down to Egypt; they entered the world. They followed vision (Joseph) into Egypt. Vision will always prevail and where there is vision, there people gather. Two laws were working in their lives in Egypt; the law of increase and greatness to make a nation (Gen12:2) and the law of servitude, affliction and death (Gen15:13/Ex1), i.e. bondage, lack of liberty. The first was of God because of His purpose and plan while the second was by the world, because it hates the things of God, James4:4. The hatred Egypt showed towards the Hebrews signifies the hatred the world has towards the things of God, especially vision. In this wise, beloved, don’t expect the world to agree with your vision; you need to pursue it. Don’t expect anybody to agree with your dream, you need to be focused otherwise you will be destracted. I will like to emphasize that the Egyptians then were not in Christ. Also, the Old Testament is a shadow of the New Testament; therefore, the country ‘Egypt’ should not be tagged as bad, neither should we condemn the Egyptians. We are discussing spiritual things and not flesh and blood. There is revival in Egypt and we are still praying for more outpour of God’s Spirit in that land and the world (Amen). For the deliverance and salvation of the Israelites, a vessel was needful. In the midst of blood thirsty swords, Moses was born. Moses, unfortunately, did not know that the staying of the Israelites in Egypt was divinely arranged. Whatever they were going through was prophetic. Due to his ignorance, he wanted to help the Israelites (with bitterness of heart and not in the fear of God). Only God determines what and what happens to a life. If Moses knew God then, he should have asked God what His mind was about the situation on ground and how to go about it. Moses’ heart was not right for the assignment God had for him. His nature of speech was not what God was interested in, but the heart; which is the seat of the Spirit of the assignment we have been talking about. Just as Jacob and Joseph were dealt with, Moses, also, was pruned to suit God’s purpose. This was needful because his life style was that of an Egyptian, Ex2:19;

Exodus 2:19 “And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.”

He needed godly training to be able to lead God’s people in the fear of the Lord. His staying under Jethro changed his life style and prepared him for God’s assignment, ordination and commissioning. He learnt shepherding and accountability under Jethro. His heart was prepared for the job. We could see, afterwards, that at every stage of his leading the people, he was always going to meet God for what to do. This is what God demands of us as believers; to ask for God’s mind. Many believers are not patient enough to be approved before opting to be masters of their own in the vineyard of God. The Spirit of the assignment cannot rest without first graduating from the school of servant hood. You can’t work for God without Him first working in you (consecration) to prepare you in His own way and manner. A bad follower will be a bad leader. When you get to that level to graduate, God himself conducts the graduation. Believers, who cut corners to avoid trials and test of time, don’t get the spirit of accomplishment and testimony is always far from such. God is aware of every step of the training and trials you are going through. Such training, without any contradiction, is to prepare you for the next level. Anyone who wants to be relevant in God’s plan, purpose and vision must submit to God to prepare him or her. The cry and groaning of the Israelites, Ex2:23-25, is the cry of the beloved in the world today. God needs vessels to meet these needs, Matt9:37-38. Moses jumped into delivering an Israelite from the hand of an Egyptian without God’s command, he became a murder. Whatever we do in the flesh will always lead into error;

Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

1 Peter 1:24 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:”

Without the word of God for us, we are just like the grass; His word changes and make us spiritual (John6:63). A person of the flesh will only inflict more pains and torment. That was why Jesus told the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of the assignment) before they go out to meet the need, Luke24:46-49/Acts2:2-3. Moses learnt patience in the wilderness and God decorated him in Ex3&4. The rod which was in his hand, signifying his acquired skill, became the rod of God, Ex4:20. Though he used it skillfully to shepherd Jethro’s flock, God still had to teach him how to handle and use it profitably to shepherd His people; “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (v4), “that they may believe…” (v5). He was holding it in the place of fear, but God told him to pick it from the side of faith. You need to look at things from God’s angle (i.e. faith and not fear) for miracles to happen. What is the talent, skill or ability in you? It must be submitted to the Holy Spirit; it is no more yours once you give your life to Jesus. Jesus taught Peter who was skillful in fishing how to fish profitably. He further said that He would make him a fisher of men; he was to be re-branded for purpose. One could be highly talented and skillful, yet lack purpose. Whatever you learn from your mentor is just to be skillful, only God reveals purpose and empowers one for same. Let God use what you have and you will become relevant in life. The first thing to submit before any other thing is your life, John 15:5. Prayer: Lord Jesus, take my life and let it be consecrated for you. The next mile in the trip is Exodus5-7 Keep the fire burning and alive. Tell somebody about JESUS today!!!

Bible In One Year –Day 21 (January 21, 2014)

Romans8:28 was one of the scriptures I first memorized as a Christian. The phrase “…the called according to His purpose” was not clear to me until the study of Jacob’s ‘Peniel experience’, Gen32:24-31. Jacob was never the same after this experience. Peniel means, in Hebrew language, the face of God. Jacob’s natural strength was dealt with and he realized his weaknesses and inadequacies. What he used to be boastful of became a thing of shame to him. Before now he used to think of himself more important than others. He used to take unholy advantage over people’s weaknesses with his strength and grace. But after the Man touched the socket of his hip and dislocated it, the way he walked and portrayed himself changed; pride, cheating, lying, self, flair for worldly things and pleasure disappeared. The most wealthiest and peaceful moment of Jacob’s life was at his old age in Goshen. Joseph’s ‘Peniel experience’ was in the prison. He, too, had no respect for his seniors and often times use his father’s favoritism to take undue advantage to exercise control over his senior brothers. Both became so humbled just because they were children of purpose and they had to be conformed to purpose by the disciplining of God (a process). All they went through was not to kill them but to change and pattern them for purpose, Rom8:18, 35-39. For the word of God to Abraham, Gen17:6, to be fulfilled, Jacob’s natural life had to be dealt with. And for His word in Gen15:13 to be fulfilled, Joseph had to be humbled through the prison life. Many of us are children of destiny but lack the humility to attain the height of destiny and so we need to be disciplined to suit the purpose we are created for. This PENIEL EXPERIENCE, i.e. the transforming process. God touches us with His Spirit of light, Psalm119:130/John6:63. The closer we are to His glory, the more we see our filthiness, weaknesses and inadequacies and the more we cease to see our strength. Hence, our walks become different and we appreciate people when we are accepted. The prayer of Isaac for Jacob in Gen27:28 was fulfilled in 45:18. As Jacob’s story was rounding up, we could see the gradual transition into the next step of God’s promises and covenant to Abraham, the father of faith. Jacob went through a lot, Gen47:9; pursued by birth-mate, maltreatment from in-laws, loss of Rachel, daughter defiled and Joseph taken from him. He had a wounded heart and refused to be comforted for 13 yrs because of Joseph, Gen37:35. Joseph was the vessel for the next fulfillment in God’s plan. When he heard that Joseph was alive, Gen45:27, his spirit was revived and heart received healing. I pray for you that this very year, you will receive a divine message that will heal you perpetually in the name of Jesus. God gave Jacob the message of assurance, Gen46:2-4; “…and Joseph will put his hands on your eyes.” (46:3-4). Meaning that Jacob will die and the chapter will be closed by the next person (Joseph) carrying the mantle of purpose. God will not change His plan, purpose and agenda, he will rather change a person. Money can fail, 47:15, but purpose sustains. Whoever runs after money, evidently, has not discovered purpose. When you find purpose, people will seek for you. In Gen47, we could see the awesome leadership/management skill of Joseph; he ruled without oppression and difficulty, bought everybody without their knowing, increased the wealth of Pharaoh without any argument. Can we find such leader in the community, churches, nations and the world today? You could go through 2Tim3. Gen49 is a parable to us. We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God and BOOKS will be opened and records read out, Rev20:12-13. The most important is the book of life.

Joseph was the only one amongst his brethren that had the testimony of the Spirit of life and the blessing he received was immeasurable. May the Spirit of Gen49:22-26 flourish in your life in the name of Jesus. Joseph was the only one recorded in the Bible (KJV) buried in a coffin. What is the implication? That coffin was a prophetic contact, Gen50:24, for the fulfillment of God’s promises, Gen15:13-14. Abraham passed ‘purpose’ to Isaac, Isaac to Jacob, and then Jacob to Joseph. After Joseph, the mantle of purpose was preserved as bones in the coffin. Your dry bones shall rise again, IJN. In summary, beloved, we learnt of the taste of God the Father in Abraham, God the Son in Isaac, the work of God the Holy Spirit in Jacob and purpose in Joseph. The brothers of Joseph only made us to understand that VISION and PURPOSE shall prevail, they bowed to it, Gen50:18. But what happened to Rebekah? I pray that you shall not be missing in the plan of God, IJN. Prayer: My Father, baptize me with the Spirit of purpose, IJN. The book of EXODUS is the explosion of the summary of Gen15:13-14. The next mile in this trip is Exodus1-4. Keep the fire burning and alive. Tell somebody about JESUS today!!!

Bible In One Year – Day 20 (January 20, 2014)

Commentary: Genesis43-45. I used to think that Joseph was trying to retaliate the wrong of his brothers by plotting series of accusations against them. The truth is that, he wanted to be sure if they still have the same horrible character and if Benjamin had not been killed. Judah, Gen37:26-27, suggested Joseph to be sold into slavery, he is now the one begging to be a slave to Joseph, Gen44:33.

Genesis 44:33 “Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.”

Beloved, this is to tell us that what is genuinely revealed by God shall surely prevail against all schemes and evil conspiracies. Revelation could be bound and thrown away, it will florish in that place it is cast for as long as it remained undefiled. There was a grace in the life of Joseph that placed him in a position too high for the hands of his household enemies to reach. God will promote you in the name of Jesus, Psalm30:4-5. Gen45 is very crucial in Joseph’s life and we could learn a great deal from it. 1John4 reflects the nature of God, which is LOVE. It is very difficult for God to hate because His nature is love. Based on His nature, He has compassion for us. His compassion forgave us. His forgiveness reconciled us to Himself through His dear Son, Jesus Christ, John3:16/ Ps78:38. Whoever is born of His Spirit must, in this view, manifest this nature, 1John4:17 (“…as He is, so are we…”). No wonder, anytime Jesus wanted to perform miracle of deliverance and healing, the bible always say “and He had compassion on…”. Without compassion, there is no forgiveness, without forgiveness there is redemption and consequently no restoration or reconciliation.

Romans 5:8-11 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

Everything has its root in the nature of God, which is LOVE. Without the Spirit of God, the heavenly (God’s) nature cannot be expressed through us. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us is what expresses the nature of God through us. The disciples were boastful (Lk10:17-20) and contentious, lacked respect for one another, struggled for position and greatness among themselves, Lk22:24-30. They were just lent a bit of power and authority, but because there was not the fullness of the Holy Spirit in them, they used what they borrowed to fight one another. This is the plight of those who claim to be Christians but without the genuine indwelling of the Holy Spirit; using the garment of salvation to fight one another instead of warring against the devil. When Jesus resurrected and breathed on the disciples, John20:22-23, the nature of God was introduced into them and they could forgive in the power of that nature.

John 20:22-23 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith to them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

To forgive is to bear the cost/pain of the offense of the offender and restore the offender without asking them for any payment. The Holy Spirit started His work in each of them. The evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives after Christ breathed in them was that they were doing things together in harmony and in love. That was why they were with one accord at the upper chamber. So the first thing the Spirit of God brings into a life is LOVE and COMPASSION. This love carries other fruits. Love is the water the tree of power draws from the ground for the health and fruitfulness of that tree. The baptism on the day of Pentecost was just impartation of gift for ministry. If Jesus never introduced God’s nature into them, they would have used that grace at Pentecost against one another. Every gift of the Holy Spirit must be expressed on the platform of love. Believers and church leaders are in two states: before death of Jesus and after death. Those not manifesting the fruit of the Spirit are in the state before death, i.e. flesh has not been crucified with Jesus. The genuinely born again Christians are of the state after resurrection, i.e. they are crucified with Christ, Gal2:20. To love, forgive, tolerate, respect and endure won’t be difficult for them. Joseph demonstrated these attributes of a carrier of the Spirit of God. In Gen45, he showed compassion (v1-2), love and forgiveness (3-4), purpose (v5-8) and reconciliation (v9-12). Question; are you a vessel of mercy and love or a vessel of brutality, envy, jealousy and hatred? (1John4:20-21).

1 John 4:20-21 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

There is a deep mystery in the coming together of Jacob and Joseph which we are going to look into after the next mile in the trip, Gen46-50. Keep the fire burning and alive on the altar of love. Tell somebody about JESUS today!!!