Bible In One Year-Day 211 (Tuesday, July 30, 2013)

Commentary: Ezekiel4-6. Many admire a prophet and want to be one. To be a prophet is not in the will of man but within God’s will, purpose and agenda. No man can bear the burden of a prophet without the Spirit of a prophet. The burden on Prophet Ezekiel is an example. He was to bear the burden of their iniquity lying on his side for 430 days (1 year, 2months and 3 days); each day marking a year in reality.

Ezekiel 4:4-6 “Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”

To be a prophet is to be ready to bear peoples’ burdens and not for personal splendor. To be a prophet is not to be the most respected man on earth, but for a mission to be accomplished. It is not to be the most dressed preacher but for God to be glorified. For God to be glorified is not the limousine or Cadillac you have and parked in an air-conditioned garage, but for God to be pleased with what you are doing. It is not the huge number of people that comes to the crusade or attends the church services but the lives that are kingdom bound.

Matthew 12:18 “Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles.”

The Spirit of God is not for show off but for a mission to be accomplished. Ezekiel wouldn’t have been able to lie on his sides for 430 days without the Spirit of the Lord. Jesus accomplished His mission by the Spirit of the Lord. When the Spirit left Him under this burden of sin, He shouted for the departure of the Spirit and He died on the cross.

Mark 15:34 “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

The same Spirit raised Him from death. The mission was to accomplish resurrection which the Jews believed it is for the last day. Once the Spirit accomplishes God’s mission in a man’s life, He departs and the man dies. Then we realize that man is just a carcass. The life of a prophet could be very radical with unusual acts which human could not comprehend. Ezekiel was asked by God to use human waste to prepare his food for 390 days. After 390 days, God changed the means of preparing his food to using Cow dung. Ordinarily, we would regard this to be madness. But it is not. The life of a prophet is not as modest as human beings would expect. God’s generals of old spoke horrible grammar, but the power of God that worked through them was immeasurable. Many of their books which we read now have been well edited. The first set of the Apostles were referred to as unlearned, yet they turned the world upside down.

Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

God has His own way of making a man look foolish especially when man thinks he is better or has all. A book was given to an illiterate to read, Isaiah29:12-14, but he could not read. God used that to tell us how He could use an illiterate without proper education to disgrace the wisdom of the wise with the highest education.

God’s concern in this case was the disobedience of His people and He was ready to judge them. He made Ezekiel to demonstrate His intention by using prophetic symbols such as the clay table to draw the map of Jerusalem and burning of his hair in the city and other places. Every symbolic action has its spiritual implication. The goal is that they should fear the Lord and reverence Him as God.

Ezekiel 6:14 “So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

God cannot compromise sin. All unrighteousness is sin; let us desist from it no matter how logical it is.

Let us listen to the trumpet’s sound, wherewith we could escape the calamity to come. Our reading for today is Ezekiel7-9. Keep the fire of burning and alive.

Pastor Supo Abayode

+1-302-230-6792

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries

Delaware, USA

Bible In One Year-Day 210 (Monday, July 29, 2013)

Commentary: Ezekiel1-3. Ezekiel was a prophet and a priest in the time when Judah was carried captive in Babylon. Right from the first verse we could read about his commissioning as a prophet; he was already a priest.

Ezekiel 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.”

By descend, he was a priest but by calling he was a prophet of God. There is difference between these two offices. The priest is to teach, interpret the law and offer sacrifices in the Temple. That is, he carries out all the necessary ceremonies in the house of God. He acts as a shepherd; the pastor. On the other hand, the prophet hears directly from God and delivers the word as is. He doesn’t mind peoples’ opinion, concerns or persecutions; he is only concerned about what God says. He doesn’t mind the sufferings prepared for him for as long as it is in God’s agenda; he glorifies God in it. Prophets, generally, are very radical in carrying out divine instructions. They never regard such names as “Prophet, Pastor, Reverend (which is not in the Bible anyway), Deacons etc” as titles for which they demand to be respected or recognized, but as responsibilities that demands prompt action to serve; it is God that testifies to what He has sent them to do for as long as they are faithful to their calling. Though, the prophet may intercede where necessary, but he is not on the side of the peoples’ opinion. For instance, the wife of Ezekiel died and God told him never to mourn her. People were concerned about his behavior, but he did exactly as the Lord commanded, Ezek24:15-19. Aaron yielded to the peoples’ opinion. Moses was concerned about God’s emotion and stand. One could be trained or grow up to be a priest, but to be a prophet, only God can ordain for that without asking for anybody’s approval. Lot grew up to learn how to be righteous because he saw the life style of his uncle, Abraham, and he loved it. But Abraham spoke with God. The ability to expound the scripture very well does not mean you are a prophet. The priest could teach the Bible by the help of the Holy Spirit (He reminds us of the word), it does not mean he is a prophet. He is only under the teaching grace of the Holy Spirit. The prophet has seen and experienced something the priest has not seen; the glory (or visions of God) and the hand of the Lord also referred to as the Spirit of the Lord. No one sees and experiences these two things ever remain the same. Ezekiel could have been living a priestly world and life, but to be a prophet of God, he needed a transformation, a change of world and a rebranding and this could only be achieved by the glory of God which he narrated in chapter1 of Ezekiel. Hear the conclusion of what he saw;

Ezekiel 1:25-28 “… As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.”

This glory crushed the strength of his knees (flesh). No knee can stand the sight of His glory, beloved. Ezekiel fell on his face; this is the beginning of his brokenness. The flesh was, in this respect, dealt with and torn to pieces. If the flesh is not torn, we cannot do the work of God accordingly. A renewing of the mind started in the life of Ezekiel; a change of soul was carried out at this point. Without the renewing of the mind, the Spirit will not enter. And if the SPIRIT does not enter, you cannot hear the WORD of the FATHER clearly; the Spirit and Word are one in agreement with the Father.

1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.”

And if you do not hear God clearly, your message becomes superficial, not deep enough to change life; it is the Spirit that gives life to the Word, therefore, the message must come from God and not from the flesh. There must be a change within you before there could be a change outside. The fall of Ezekiel on his face was death to sin. Chapter2 made us to understand that it was the Spirit that raised him up and set him on his feet. Yes the Spirit quickens, John6:63.

Ezekiel 2:1-2 “And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.”

Consider the epistle also;

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Ezekiel’s understanding was opened by the Spirit. The stand on the feet was no more Ezekiel (or the old Ezekiel) but the Spirit that worked in him. Not until you have this experience, there can’t be the specific assignment handed over to you. And if you decide to go on the errand He has not sent you, it is self-suicide. Ezekiel was sent to specific people, Ezek3:5.

Ezekiel 2:3-5 “And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: … (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.”

If Ezekiel was not equipped for this job, there was no way he could have succeeded considering how God described the Israelites; this is why you must no those God has sent you to. A priest could talk to every person that comes his way, this is not so for prophets. God wants you to serve Him in the fear of Him, i.e. to honor Him in servitude; God accused Moses of dishonoring Him before the Israelites, Deut32:51. This is why He needs to first change our heart or soul and then put His Spirit in us. The Spirit helps us to do His will, not ours. By the Spirit of God, you could endure the hardship and difficult times in the ministry, Ezek3:25-26.

Ezekiel 3:25-26 “But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them: And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.”

The Spirit gives the strength to do the work without becoming sick or weary. By the Spirit, mysteries and deep things are being uttered which amazes the hearers. The words that come out cannot fail because the Spirit spoke. When a prophet says “in the name of Jesus”, he is not the one who says that but the Spirit in Him; something must happen. The Spirit gives the leading and not your mind, will or emotion. Moses took action in striking the rock by the leading of his emotion which terminated his appointment with God.

Ezekiel 3:14 “So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.”

This is the Spirit of a prophet. In most cases, people regard them as strange people and mostly misinterpret. Yes, it is because the nature in them is no more natural but spiritual and natural people do not understand spiritual things.

1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The glory of God is full of brightness and this brightness turns them to flames of fire. Prophets go through this experience, Ezek1:25-28.

2 Samuel 22:13 “Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.”

Psalms 104:4 “Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:”

To be an oracle of the living God, you need a change of soul. This is not a matter of brain-power (i.e. acquired knowledge, which is not a bad thing), but an experience of the supernatural. The one who dreams is different from the one who sees vision and that which sees visions is different from the one who talks with God mouth to mouth. There are levels of prophets, priests, pastors and teachers.

Numbers 12:5-9 “And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.”

It is the Spirit of God that gives as He wills; NOTE THIS. God can be angry with (if not abandon) a prophet because of another prophet. Miriam’s name was never mentioned again in the scripture after this scenario except when she died; no record of vision or prophecy again because of Moses. Many men of God have lost God’s grace for rubbishing the calling of another man of God, 1Kings22. He, i.e. God, does not need anybody’s approval before He chooses anyone for an assignment. We need to respect Him for that. We don’t need any unholy rivalry in the things of God; rather, we must respect the grace in each other’s ministry and life. He has never given us the ministry of being the best or greatest but that of a faithful servant (Luke22:24-30). God has not given us any platform for competition but offers the garment of humility (Matt18:1-4) in our service to Him. Each time we go into contest and rivalry in the things of God, we have lost focus of the true calling and if care is not taken, the glory might depart. When this happens, we start glorifying the flesh. God’s assignment or work must be done by His Spirit; nothing of Him must the flesh lead.

Two times Ezekiel fell on his face in our reading (the second time is Ezek3:23-24), the Spirit lifted him up on the two occasions; it is the Spirit that helps our weaknesses. The fallings of Ezekiel were reflections of man’s frailty and the help from the Spirit of God is a reflection of His grace and faithfulness. Your dry bones shall arise again in the name of Jesus. The ministry of Ezekiel started with open heavens, open eyes, open understanding, open ears and a changed soul, life and world. It is a matter of experience.

Zechariah 4:6 “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”

In conclusion, the Spirit of the Prophet is the Spirit of adoption (Romans8:15) and also the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation19:10). You can be adopted by His Spirit to be a Pastor, Prophet, Teacher, Evangelist etc. Only God can adopt you by His Spirit, not any bishop, pastor, father, mother, General Overseer etc. It is not by your self-righteousness but by His grace alone.

Let us listen to the trumpet’s sound, wherewith we could escape the calamity to come. Our reading for today is Ezekiel4-6. Keep the fire of LOVE burning and alive.

Pastor Supo Abayode

+1-302-230-6792

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries

Delaware, USA

Bible In One Year-Day 209 (Sunday, July 28, 2013)

Commentary: Song of Solomon5-8. We could read the power of love in one of the verses of these chapters.

Song of Solomon 8:7 “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.”

The love of Christ for us is far stronger than this and if we know His love, tribulations and perils cannot change our heart towards Him; rather we rejoice.

James 1:2 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”

Many times I hear people complain in hard times saying “why is this happening despite all my prayers and fasting?” Beloved, for the mere fact that things are not going as you wished does not mean God is not in it; it could be his way of concealing His plans for you. Joseph got his managerial training in the prison. And for the mere fact that things are going as you wished does not mean that God is in it; remember the rich man and Lazarus. Every step we take and every success we achieve must be checked in the light of the Spirit of God. God loves us and His love cannot lead us into what will destroy us. If we genuinely realize His love, there shall be no murmuring and complaints in hard times.

Romans 8:35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

One thing God cannot do is to hate. Love is His nature and therefore hatred cannot be found in Him.

1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

It is the devil that cannot love but hate. Anyone operating under the anointing of hatred is of the devil, 1John3:8-9. This type of love which many waters cannot quench is what God recommends between brethrens and in marriages. This is our calling as Christians and by this we could obtain blessings.

1 Peter 3:7-9 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”

Let us love as Christ loves. God cannot entrust anyone with His power if His love is not in him or her. The last commandment Christ left for His follower is to love one another by which people can know us as His disciples. The only thing that distinguishes a genuine Christian from other people who are not Christians is not the Bible in the hand or the church he or she goes, but how much of Christ is revealed through LOVE. Unfortunately, churches fight one another in doctrines, beliefs, how much law is obeyed. General overseers and bishops are flexing muscles as to who is superior over another. The congregants are being led astray in hating another denomination. The body of Christ is sick because love is scarce; what is left now is ‘self’. Lack of oneness among Christians now is due to Mr. Flesh in the leaders. It is as bad as the leaders requesting God to seek their approval before He calls any other person. Christ is really revealed in the love shown to the neighbor and not the big cross on the neck. Many signboards carry only the picture of the preacher and the wife, the name JESUS is not good for the signboard. And if the name is there, it is written in tiny fonts while the picture of the preacher and the wife takes more than half the board. The question is “who died for the church?”

Let us listen to the trumpet’s sound, wherewith we could escape the calamity to come. Our reading for today is Ezekiel1-3. Keep the fire of LOVE burning and alive.

Pastor Supo Abayode

+1-302-230-6792

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries

Delaware, USA

Bible In One Year-Day 208 (Saturday, July 27, 2013)

Commentary: Song of Solomon1-4. The Song of Solomon is a poetic book. It will surprise you that “God” is not mentioned in the book. The book reflects a deep relationship between a woman and a man. Reading for today is Song of Solomon5-8. Keep the fire burning and alive.

Pastor Supo Abayode

+1-302-230-6792

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries

Delaware, USA

Bible In One Year-Day 207 (Friday, July 26, 2013)

Commentary: Ecclesiastes10-12. The preacher talked more about things that aren’t appropriate but happening. He remarked that he saw foolishness dignified while the rich is debased. Also, he said he saw princes walking on the ground while servants are riding on horses. It will take a spiritually conscious person to understand these sayings. But if a person is not spiritual the first problem to be solved is to bring light into such heart. A person that is not having spiritual consciousness is in darkness. This is the problem with many Christians. Their axes are very dull and so they stay longer cutting down the evil tree in their lives; deliverance becomes very difficult and unattainable.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 “If the iron (Axe) be blunt (dull), and he do not whet (sharpen) the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.”

What this verse is saying is that the value of wisdom is for you to first sharpen your axe before use, this is the only way to make it easier. The mark of a good Christian is in his Bible study and prayer life and his wisdom is to live in the light of God’s word, i.e. observing what he or she read. This is what he depends on and so he must be smart in these areas. The prayer altar must be in good shape as Elijah repaired the altar on Mount Carmel and the Bible study must not be compromised. The word of God brings light into your spirit and unlocks your understanding.

Psalms 119:130 “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

It is what you, therefore, have the understanding of that you will believe and use to pray because it will become the basis for your faith. Faith releases the power of the word and nothing can stop the result.

James 5:16 “… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

When a Christian realizes that the prayer life and bible study is having some set back, he needs to quickly seek to sharpen it because the enemy has struck. When he or she realizes that there are more excuses or reasons for the lifeless prayer altar and confusing bible reading and study, he needs to quickly seek for help. There should be no excuses.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.”

The best way to sharpen the axe is DELIVERANCE. Deliverance restores what has gone out of order; it disengages evil entanglement causing the problems in our spiritual lives. Deliverance overthrows satanic governance and establishes Christ’s reign in our lives. The preacher concluded very well, beloved. There is peace for whoever is ready to hear what the Spirit is saying.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Let us listen to the trumpet’s sound, wherewith we could escape the calamity to come. Our reading for today is Song of Solomon1-4. Keep the fire burning and alive.

Pastor Supo Abayode

+1-302-230-6792

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries

Delaware, USA