CONNECTING INVISIBLE SUPPLIES

READ: 1 KINGS 17:10-16

When Elijah met the widow and asked her to prepare him a meal, placed God first by her last meal but first make a little cake for him, she obeyed (1 Kings 17:10-16). The widow gave her last meal, and this led to her breakthrough. What she though was her last meal became the beginning of unending supplies. Are you left with your last change, or meal? Do you think you will die? You shall not die. The Lord will turn your lack into abundance.
From this story, God used a stone to kill three birds. With the last meal, the Lord fed Elijah, the widow and her son for over two years. What took place beyond our physical eyes was that as the last meal was presented to God, an angel simply took it to the Heavenly bakery and multiplied it in several folds to last them throughout the drought.
In Matthew 14:15-21, a similar event took place. A multitude of 5000 men besides women and children had gathered in a desert to listen to Jesus. That evening, there was no place to buy food. Jesus asked the disciples to feed them but they had only five loaves of bread and two fishes: He received the provision, looked up to His Father, and blessed the food. Immediately an angel took them to the heavenly bakery and multiplied them. By the time they finished eating all were filled, yet there were an excess of twelve baskets full. In Mark 8:1-9, the Lord repeated the same miracle.
Why? He was trying to make us know that He is still the Jehovah Jireh of the Old Testament and that anything He had done before He can do again. If only you can reach out to Him in faith and give Him what you have, He will use what you have to give you what you desire. Can you trust Him with your life, property, finances and family today? He will not disappoint those who put their trust in Him. Whatever little you have can become the link to an abundant supply. The Lord can turn your lack into abundance. Call on Him without doubting.

MEMORIZE: JOB 38:41 –Who provides for the raven its food? When its young ones cry to God, they wander for lack of meat.

UNEXPECTED HELP

READ: PSALM 119:129-136         

In 1 Samuel 21:8-9, David asked Ahimelech for some weapons but was told that there was no weapon than Goliath’s sword which David brought back from the battle several years ago. David happily received it. This tells us that whatever good deed you do today, goes to wait for you in future. Also, it shows that any weapon or knowledge acquired today may what will save your life tomorrow.
“Your word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).
It is the word of God you hide in your heart today that will preserve you from sinning tomorrow. The word of God in your heart today will become the weapon of the Holy Spirit to resist, fight and defeat the devil and his cohorts tomorrow. Take every opportunity to acquire knowledge and grow in His word very seriously. You cannot tell when your life will depend on it.
Another lesson we learn here is that the sword that was meant to kill David was what God turned against his enemies. When you are connected to God, He will change death to life and enemies into servants. This year, every weapon designed by your enemies to take your life will turn against them in Jesus name.
In Galatians 2:20, Paul says he is crucified with Christ yet he still lives. How is this possible? To have the full benefits of the cross, your flesh and its lusts (passions) must be crucified. You must die to the vanities of the world and be alive in a different manner – in Christ (Galatians 6:14). This requires living the life of the Spirit, and following His leading. When this happens: your old friends will know the difference. They will see a new person in you, totally and radically different from the one they knew. On their own, they will separate from you or join you in serving the Lord. Are you truly crucified?

MEMORIZE: GENESIS 50:20 –But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it to good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

GUIDANCE

READ: 1 KINGS 17:8-16

Samaria was under divine judgement. Famine was in the land but the Lord made a way for Elijah His servant by sending him to the brook Cherith where he was fed by ravens. After the brook dried up, the Lord instructed him to go to a widow in Zarephath for sustenance. And he obeyed. There some vital lessons for us here. First, that the Lord led you to where you are working at the moment is no guarantee of your remaining there for life. That place may just be a stepping stone to the greater height the Lord is taking you. But if you resist His command to move to the next place, remaining at Cherith will be at your risk as there will more be heavenly supplies to back up your stay.
As a pastor or minister, why have you fought so hard to remain at the brook Cherith which has restricted provision, whereas you could be at the next place of assignment and have greater grace, more anointing to do greater exploits for the Lord? The other lesson is that, in choosing the place Elijah should go, one would have expected God to send him to the richest man in town. But what did He do? He sent him to the poorest widow who had but a meal left. If not that Elijah knew his God, he would have had to argue it out.
What does this signify? It means that God is interested in helping the needy. His ways are not ours. It also means that if God sends Elijah to a widow without means to sustain him, God Himself will provide the means. Has the Lord led you to a particular brother for marriage and you are crying, ‘This cannot be! He is not a member of my tribe. He is not rich. He is not even as educated as I am. He is not my type. God must be unfair to take this decision after all the years I have served Him’.
Weep not, dear child of God. If it is God who is sending you to that brother, then go ahead and happily accept him for there lies your sustenance from the drought. God knows best.

MEMORIZE: ISAIAH 58:11 –And the Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy tour soul in drought, and make fat your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 

ADVOCATE

READ: GALATIANS 6:3-5

The Holy Spirit is called names, one of which is the Advocate. An advocate is a lawyer – who has the capacity to work for or against you depending on whose side he is. While the Holy Spirit is struggling with sinners, He is pleading for the saints with groanings which cannot be uttered. What determines what you get from the Holy Spirit – whether good or bad – is your spiritual status – whether you are a saint or sinner.
There is a persistent struggle between the Holy Spirit and sinners. One reason for this according to Romans 8:7 is that the mind of the sinner is in enmity against the Spirit and as a result it rebels against the law of the Spirit of Christ. When the Spirit says to a sinner, Repent, he replies by saying, Let me enjoy my life to its fullest and repent later. But he may never live up to that age. Are you yet to be born again? Are you still struggling with the Holy Spirit? Stop it, repent and yield to Him and let Him begin to fight for you from today.
Do you still struggle with the Holy Spirit over simple instructions if you continue, you will grieve Him and He will withdraw from you (Genesis 6:3,6). May the Holy Spirit never withdraw from you in Jesus name. When two people go to court over a matter, the decision of the judge will depend on the strengths of the arguments placed before him by their advocates. The more experienced, knowledgeable and familiar the lawyer is to the presiding judge the better disposed the latter will be to him and whatever argument he brings.
The Holy Spirit as our Advocate is part of the Godhead. He knows what God loves. He understands all the provisions available to us by the sacrificial death of Jesus at Calvary. He also knows our weaknesses and how to cover them up. Having Him as your advocate guarantees victory over Satan, the accuser of the brethren who stands daily to give God several reasons He must not listen to your pleas (Revelation 12:10). This is one reason you ought to pray in tongue regularly. If you pray in the Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit that is praying through you (Romans 8:26) and you are assured of answers.

MEMORIZE: ROMANS 8:26 –Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit Itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.     

GOD’S DINNER

READ: PSALM 24:3-5

Not everyone qualifies to come to table with the president of a nation. Usually those invited to dine with him are highly placed individuals who are leaders in their own right. God also has a table where He dines with some special people who are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, holy and peculiar (1 Peter 2:9). Addressing the Canaanite woman who came to request deliverance for her daughter who was grievously tormented of demons in Matthew 15:21-28, Jesus replied, it is not good to give the children’s bread to dogs.
On God’s table is everything you will need now and in future. Everything is provided there. Those who come to the table will receive personal attention from the Lord. The question is: do you qualify to dine with the Lord? From our reading today, to eat with the Almighty you must have clean hands. According to Habakkuk 1:13, God’s eyes are so pure that they cannot tolerate sin. You cannot use the same hands with which you stole, forged receipts and manipulated official figures to dine with the Lord. You cannot bring the hands you actively engaged in fornication, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes to the Lord’s table. If you do, what the Lord would see on your hands are the sins you committed with them. Rather than receive a blessing, such people would receive a curse at the table (1 Corinthians 11:27-31).
Another qualification for partaking in the Lord’s table is that you must be pure in heart. Matthew 5:8 says only those people whose hearts are pure will see God. If your heart is occupied with filthy thoughts such as envy, bitterness, hatred, evil and lust, you cannot see God. How can you sit and dine with the person you cannot see? Apart from this you must not be living in and thinking of vanity because it has a way of drowning God’s love in your heart (1 John 2:15-17).
You must not live in deceit. To come to God’s table, you must be honest and truthful. John 14:6 says the One at the table is the Truth. The Truth cannot dine with deceivers and liars who are the children of the devil. Do you qualify to come to God’s dinner?

MEMORIZE: PSALM 24:3-4 –Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

RESERVED

READ: REVELATION 3:1-5

In King 17:2-6, when the Lord told Elijah where to go for sustenance after bringing drought on the land, he believed God’s word and promptly obeyed. That direction the Lord gave and even confirmed to you, have you followed it? If not, what are you waiting for? It is obedience to God’s instructions that brings blessings (Isaiah 1:19-20). If Elijah had refused he would have starved to death. Another lesson from this story is that the ravens never missed their way to Elijah at the brook. This implies that whenever you are located in obedience, God’s blessings will not miss their way to where you are, irrespective of the geographical location.
Similarly, the birds did not eat out of Elijah’s bread. This also means that as long as you are in God’s will, the devil cannot steal your blessings. No matter how hungry the ravens were they could not touch the provision meant for Elijah. God specially reserved that meal and the birds knew if they dared to eat from it, they may forfeit subsequent provision from the One who daily feeds them. Your blessings are reserved. No enemy can touch what God has appointed for you this year as long as you walk in faith, obedience and holiness.
God commanded the birds to feed Elijah two times daily. This shows that eating morning and evening is just enough for us. He was fed with bread and meat while he drank water from the brook. God knows exactly what we need to grow up healthy. He is interested in our eating to be full so as to derive strength for the day’s activities and to enable the body to develop properly. God is however against gluttony and riotous eating which makes the eater of no spiritual use. How do you eat today? As a king unto God you are expected to watch your appetite, and eat at the right time and for the right reasons (Ecclesiastes 10:16-17).

MEMORIZE: ISAIAH 1:19 –If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.

BEYOND DECEPTION

READ: ACTS 5:1-11

After I received the Holy Spirit, whenever I was leaving my home for church, the Holy Spirit will tell me the one who will preach the message that day, the one who will pray and the songs we would sing. If God can do this for me, He can and will do it for you. This goes to show that God is not satisfied with our living ordinary lives. He wants you to live a supernatural life. The supernatural life is the one where God is very active and dominant; where natural things and situations and laws are made to obey the supernatural laws and power of God. To what extent are you living the supernatural life today?
With a strong presence and dominance of the Holy Spirit in your life, you will get to a point nobody will be able to deceive you. When they tell you a lie, the Holy Spirit will guide you into the truth of the matter. You can be beyond deception. In today’s reading, Ananias and Sapphira come to deceive Peter on how much they had sold their land. Even though Peter was not living with them or present at the transaction, by the help of the Holy Spirit, he knew they were lying and told them authoritatively they had lied to the Holy Ghost. It was the fear of having their tamper-proof secret publicly unveiled that killed them. They could not survive the shock.
Similarly, in 2 Kings 5:20-27, Gehazi went after the gift Naaman had brought to his master. When he was asked on his return where he had been, he lied. But the Holy Spirit in Elisha revealed everything as it happened to him. When you have the Holy Spirit, He will help you to succeed in business by guiding you on what to buy and what not to buy, where to invest and where not to. He will make future events and trends be at your disposal today. Are you baptised in the Holy Spirit? Do you consult Him in all you do? Do you receive His go ahead order before you take steps into any particular activity? To what extent is He your guide or monitor?

MEMORIZE: JOHN 14:26 –But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you.

DETERMINANTS OF GREATNESS: PREPARATION

READ: HEBREWS 5:4-9   

“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). This is part of the promise God made to Abraham which also transcends his descendants. Through Jesus Christ, everyone who is born again can partake of this blessing. God has called us into greatness. He wants you and your siblings to be great. He wants your name to be great. He wants you to be a blessing to the whole world. Are you ready for this?
God has a special plan for each of His children (John 21:17-22). Although His plan includes greatness for all, the exact content differs from one person to another. There are certain factors that will determine your level of greatness. One is your preparation. Most times, preparation precedes public proclamation and presentation. Usually God does not use inexperienced Christians to handle sensitive assignments. He knows and chooses the right person for the right job. How prepared are you for heaven’s assignment?
According to our passage Jesus was on His way towards becoming the Author of eternal salvation. How did He get there? He went through intense suffering which taught Him to completely obey His Father. When He became perfect, He achieved the status of Author of Eternal Salvation. Some Christians desire greatness without a cross. They want to be great without suffering. It is not possible.
The height God is taking you will determine the level of suffering; frequency, quality and duration of trials, years of preparation in the wilderness and the calibre of enemies you will meet on the way. A corn will take a few months to mature before producing two or three cobs which you will eat at once, and is forgotten. The Scriptures however compares believers to the palm tree. It takes several years to mature but after that, it produces fruits for several years. You should happily endure whatever God allows you to go through on your way to becoming great. Are you truly ready for greatness?

MEMORIZE: GENESIS 12:2 –I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 

BEYOND MATERIAL LIMITATIONS

READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 8:6-9                

With God all things are possible. With Him is no limitation. For everyone who is properly connected with the God of abundance, there will be no lack because where their physical supplies end, there His supernatural supplies begin. To everyone, there comes a time of need. For some, such will be a time to expose their neglect of divine principle which will lead to serious suffering and denial while to those who operate the Kingdom principles faithfully; it will be a time to prove that they have a source other than the one people sees with the physical eyes.
Covenant-keeping believers see situations of austerity as an invitation to the God of abundance. In 1 Kings 17:2-6, Elijah called for a drought in the land by shutting up the heavens from giving rain for three and a half years. This was to punish people for their wickedness. Immediately after delivering the message to the king, God divinely guided him into sustenance. Elijah was asked to go to the brook Cherith. God sent ravens to feed him until the brook dried up. Thereafter the Lord sent him to a widow through whom he was sustained for the rest of the famine period.
God is able. In that situation of difficulty, God can make a way. He can lead you to your brook Cherith where you will be unaffected by the ravaging hunger. That brook could be a business, a job or even a country. Those who are looking up to God never miss the instruction that they need from time to time. If God could feed Elijah through ‘unclean’ birds, He can use anyone or anything to reach you. He can send your blessings through believers and unbelievers. Your blessings will reach you where you are this year. Just ensure you are living a life of obedience, service, worship and thanksgiving. Also, pay your dues to the Most High. The Lord will go beyond your material limitation.

MEMORIZE: LUKE 12:7 -8 –But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; you are of more value than many sparrow.

WORKING IN THE DAY

READING: 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8  

The King’s business must be done in haste. It is very urgent. God expects you to obey His instructions immediately. For instance soul winning must be done now. The more you procrastinate the more souls die and head for hell thereby heaping the blood of many on your head.
“I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work.” (John 9:4)
Today is still the most opportune time to do God’s work. Win souls when you can. Do great things for the Lord when you have the means to do it. Pay your tithes while you can today. Restitute your ways now that you have the opportunity. Pray while you can. A time is coming when according to Ecclesiastes 12:1 the complacency would have gotten you to a point of no interest or fire for God. You are not getting any younger. After several years in Christ, what have you achieved for the Lord? Energy spent in serving the Lord will be renewed because it has been well spent.
Besides, the work of God must be done right from the heart. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says anything you want to do, do it with all your heart and might. If you want to praise God, do it from the bottom of your heart and with all you might. In addition, God’s work must be done cheerfully and joyfully 2 Corinthians 9:7 says God loves one who gives cheerfully. This means that He hates those who do His work or give to Him grudgingly. God will not reward labours that are cheerless and full of grumbling. You had better not give than to give with complaints.
Lastly, do God’s work, based on your love for Him. Pay your tithe, sow towards the building project, praise and worship Him because you love Him. You will have an enduring reward. Begin to serve the Master acceptably from today.

MEMORIZE: JOHN 9:4 –I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work. 

SPIRIT OR SCIENCE?

READ: JOHN 16:12-14

Another translation of the word comforter is ‘monitor’. Every classroom has a monitor who watches over the affairs of the students when the teacher is not around. The role of a monitor is comparable with that of an overseer-watching over, leading, guiding and assisting the subjects. The Holy Spirit as a monitor of the church plays all the above roles and more. In fact if you follow Him, you can never go astray. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).
The Holy Spirit should be the believer’s compass-guiding and telling us what to do, where to go, where not to go, what not to do, whom to marry, who not to marry, what work to do, who to choose for what assignments, etc. the list is endless as regards areas of the Spirit’s guidance. According to the above passage the extent to which the Holy Spirit guides and leads you daily will differentiate the children (babes) from the sons (adults) of God. To what extent does the Holy Spirit guide you today? To what extent do you yield and completely submit to His Lordship and control?
Some believers insist on having their way always. For every issue or problem confronting them, they apply the scientific methods of decision making or problem solving. Whatever that method gives them at the end of the day is what they would do. They do this because they do not want to negate their training as scientists and do not want people to call them fools after acquiring so much knowledge.
Unfortunately, they will keep ending up with man-made solutions. The direction of the Holy Spirit may be contrary to scientific principles, but if you can follow it, you will get to your desired end. The Holy Spirit created the materials on which science is based. He also created every human being and the world outside science like the spirit realm. Who should you allow to guide you – science with all its limitations or the Holy Spirit who has access to all things, both seen or unseen? Your choice will determine your result.

MEMORIZE: JOHN 16:13a –However when He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth…

HEAVENLY PROVISION

READ: 1 KINGS 17:2-6

“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).
Those whose supplies are restricted to the earth are seriously disadvantaged. This is because their well-being or otherwise would be dictated by the economies of the earth. If their economy is good then it will be well with them but if it is in bad shape, they will suffer famine and austere measures. Even though God has provided for all His children on earth to be sustained by His heavenly economy, many are still limited to earthly supplies. This is one reason many of them are going through severe measures which should be the portion of those who are not in His Kingdom.
How do believers restrict their supplies to the earth? By acts of disobedience, such as refusal to pay all their tithes as when due. Also, refusal to give offerings (Malachi 3:8-10); refusing to sow which makes them eat up their seeds today which should have generated a harvest tomorrow (Genesis 8:22). Refusing to honour men of God with their substance (Philippians 4:18-20); refusing to honour God with their first fruits (Proverbs 3:9-10) and failing to give to God out of the a cheerful and willing heart (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). These acts have invited the devourers to block the Heavens from releasing their blessings on them. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
The best of gifts and blessings come down from God. Those who shut up the windows of Heaven against themselves miss out from such blessings. Have you been going through lack? Have you passed through dryness?
Are you contributing to this through your attitude to God and His word? If so, repent today and pay up what you owe God including your vows and pledges, so that your way may be open for Heavenl supplies.

MEMORIZE: JAMES 1:17 –Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

THE KING’S BUSINESS

READ: 1 SAMUEL 21:1-9

We serve the living God. He is the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. Just as we work for earthly bosses, so also does the Lord have tasks for all His children to do. This is one reason we were not immediately taken to Heaven after we were saved. We were saved after hearing the Gospel; we too should win other souls to Christ. Any work that belongs to a very important personality should be done with utmost care. To be acceptable to God, your service must meet certain requirements. It is not enough to be assigned a task. Many have been assigned to one department, ministry or the other yet have failed to work. Several workers who have been commissioned are still ghost-working. This is why James 1:22 says you should be a doer of the word. This entails carrying out the assignment physically. Another way to do the King’s business is by ensuring it is well done. There is no room for shady, sloppy jobs in God’s Kingdom.
In Romans 12:6-8, we are commanded to do the work to meet with acceptable standards. God expects us to wait on our ministry and excel in it. In fact, Romans 12:11 says: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” How diligent are you in the Master’s work? Do you treat it with kid gloves or put your heart to it? How you handle the Master’s work is very important because it will determine whether the Master will make profit or loss by it.
Any work you do for the Master must be executed lawfully. This means the methodology must not be at variance with God’s will or word. I heard how some men of God who employ charms and demonic powers to fill up their churches rationalised their deeds saying; any method they employ was right as long as the objective was to save souls. But light and darkness cannot work together. 2 Timothy 2:5 says, The one who is striving for a crown will only get it within stipulated rules. A striker who picks the ball with his hand and throws it into the net will earn a reprimand, not a goal. An athlete who leaves his lane to that of his colleagues will be disqualified. Any satanic method you adopt in serving God turns your service into disservice. How are you serving the Master Jesus today?

MEMORIZE: ROMANS 12:11 –Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. 

NOT CHOSEN FOR THIS

READ: ECCLESIASTES 7:4-5

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7).
A fool is one who despises instruction. If you meet a man who gets angry after being corrected, it is because he is fool. Proverbs 1:22 says a fool hates knowledge. The one who believes he can hide something from God is also called a fool (Psalm 94:8-9). Since he does not believe in the Omnipresence of God, the fool takes sin as a light thing (Proverbs 14:9). “When you vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools; pay that which you have vowed.” (Ecclesiastes 5:4).
From the above passage, we see that it is a fool that vows without paying. He is so flippant with his tongue that he does not attach much importance to whatever he says. He is a truce breaker. In addition, Ecclesiastes 7:4-5 says it is only a fool that is ever happy-go lucky. He is always making merry and never has sober moments or times of reflection. A fool is also frequently angry (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Are you easily provoked? Do you get angry regularly? You can receive help from the Lord to set you free from the yoke of foolishness. No foolish Christian can be among the chosen. Foolish Christians cannot make it to Heaven.
“Every wise woman builds her house; but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.” (Proverbs 14:1).
While the wise is building God’s house, people’s lives and his own family, the fool is busy tearing down. Everyone with pull-down anointing is a fool. Proverbs 21:20 says while the wise remembers to save out of what comes to him, the fool eats up everything and has no savings. It is a fool who eats up his seedlings with his harvest. He eats up his future harvest today. The wise will inherit glory while the fool will receive shame (Proverbs 3:35). A fool cannot inherit God’s kingdom. Search yourself today and find out if you have deviated from wisdom into foolishness and take steps to come back. You have not been chosen for foolishness. Arise today in wisdom.

MEMORIZE: PROVERBS 14:1 –Every wise woman builds her house; but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.

LIMITED BY CONTAINERS

READ: 2 KINGS 13:14-19

Many Christians readily attribute every limitation in their lives to Satan and other human agents. Ironically many of them are their own obstacles problem. Check your life and find out how you may have limited God’s blessing in your life and make necessary amendments today.
In 2 Kings 4:1-7, when the Lord was about to extend the miracle of multiplication to the widow with one pot of oil, He told her through Elisha in verse 3.
“Then he said, Go, borrow you vessels abroad of all your neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.”
God was prepared to fill all the vessels she brought. If she could bring all the empty containers, basins and buckets in the whole world to that location, everyone of them would have been filled. If she did not bother to borrow from her friends but presented the 2 or 3 empty vessels she had, that would also have been the containers the Lord would have filled. In other words, she was the one to determine the volume of God’s blessing upon her depending on the number of containers she was able to bring.
Today, some believers read that passage and say if they were given such opportunity, they would go all over the world to get all empty containers. Really? Do you know God still gives you the same opportunity as that widow today?  Yes He does. You will determine your destiny and greatness. The stars in your crown would be determined by the number of souls you won on earth. The size, volume and quality of your harvest would be determined by your seed. Your anointing is limited to the extent of your sacrifice. Your positional height is limited to your level of servant-hood and humility. Your blessing is limited to the extent of your obedience. Your eternal inheritance is determined by the extent of overcoming sin, Satan and the world. Yes, your blessings are only as large as your containers. Take appropriate steps today and release God’s limitless abundance upon you.

MEMORIZE: 2 KING 4:3 –Then he said, Go, borrow you vessels abroad of all your neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

ONE WITH ALL ANSWERS

READ: JOHN 7:45-46

The Holy Spirit behaves exactly like our Lord Jesus Christ. They even share similar names and titles such as Comforter, Teacher, and Guide. When we gather in the name of Jesus Christ, although we may not see Him, we can feel His presence. In John 3:8, Jesus says the Holy Spirit moves with the wind therefore the only place He may not be present is where there is no air. Be assured beloved, you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is with you wherever you go.
In John 14:16-18, Jesus appreciated our need for someone to take His place after He would have gone. In fact, that person should be able to continue and complete His plan and purpose for us, and abide with us forever. Hence He promised to send the Holy Spirit. Thank God for the Holy Spirit. He dwells inside you. Whenever God wants to talk to you, He speaks through the Holy Spirit who is in you thereby keeping the conversation private.
The word ‘Comforter’ is translated to mean ‘Instructor, Teacher, Monitor, Advocate’ etc. Jesus Christ was a Teacher (Matthew 23:7-8) but beyond this, He was a Teacher of teachers (Rabboni) according to John 20:16. Testifying of His teaching prowess, some officers of the chiefs priests and Pharisees sent to spy on Jesus, returned saying “Never man spoke like this man” (John 7:45-46). The Holy Spirit, like Jesus, is another Rabboni, Teacher of teachers. There are mysteries and deep truths buried in the Scriptures which you cannot fathom or comprehend by your limited wisdom or ability.
In fact, in several difficult passages, your pastor may not be able to help you. But if you let the Holy Spirit, He will reveal them to you. After my conversion, I had several questions such as; Why did God plant the forbidden fruit in Eden when He knew Adam and Eve would eat the fruit? When they ate the fruit which He knew they would, why did He get angry and send them out of the Garden? I did not bother to ask anybody. I asked the Holy Spirit and He answered me satisfactorily. What are the questions disturbing you which none can answer? Ask the Holy Spirit. He will give you all the answers in every subject under Heaven. Ask Him today.

MEMORIZE: HEBREWS 10:23 –Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)  

DENYING CHRIST

READ: MATTHEW 26:30-35, 69-75

“He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.” (1 Samuel 2:9)
Every Christian goes through moments of despair, confusion or discouragement. At such times they would begin to question their fundamental beliefs. To overcome such moments requires faith in God and not in your own strength. When Jesus told His disciples that He would shortly be arrested and they would be scattered and offended because of Him, Peter insisted that He cannot deny the Lord even if the rest of the disciples did so. Peter meant what he said but he was relying on his human strength. If you rely on your strength alone you will fail. Not long after, Peter vehemently denied his Master thrice and on recalling Christ’s words went outside to weep.
Today many Christians deny their Lord. Every act of compromise with sin is a denial of the Lord. Sometimes you may rationalise it or call it ‘wisdom’ but it is the same two and two pence. Recently, a brother picked a local transporter to carry some building materials to church. The driver of the car charged a high amount so while negotiating the price the brother suddenly saw the sticker of their church on the man’s car and asked him if he was a Christian. The man said he was a Muslim and stuck to his guns. After the materials were dropped at the church premises and he was paid, the driver said he was a minister of a branch of the same church and had known the brother before. The brother was shocked because this so called minister could deny his Lord because of a few hundred naira.
In what ways are you denying the Lord today? Are you using a pocket bible so that certain people do not identify you as a Christian in your office either to avoid persecution or to give you freedom to partake in the ungodly acts that are prevalent in your work place? You are denying the Lord. Do you tell everyone you are a born again Christian but still live like the devil: abuse people, cheat, demand for bribes, live in immorality? You still deny the Lord through your works (Titus 1:16). If you deny Jesus, He also will deny you where it matters most: Heaven (2 Timothy 2:12). Repent today.

MEMORIZE: 1 SAMUEL 2:9 –He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

DUNGHILL TO THE THRONE

READ: PSALM 113:5-8

The Lord can take you from a dunghill and place you on the throne. He has done this for many. This year the Lord will take you to the throne. Joshua was a servant of Moses. He was unknown. When the Lord told him he was going to succeed Moses, he thought he was dreaming. ‘How could a servant suddenly become the President of a nation?’ He asked. He kept resisting the offer until he had to accept it by force. Why did God pick Joshua?
“And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened to him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Deuteronomy 34:9).
One day Moses laid hands on his servant Joshua and transferred the Holy Spirit into him. From that moment dramatic things began to occur which eventually culminated in his arrival on the throne. In Genesis 2:7, after God formed man with ordinary dust, He breathed into the dust and man became a living soul. When the Holy Spirit comes into business He will take it from ordinary to extra-ordinary. If all you sell is water and the Holy Spirit comes into it, your water will be the one everybody will be craving. If the Holy Spirit is active in your church it does not matter how remote the place is; thousands will come there because of Him.
Philip who was only a Deacon serving food to widows and washing the dishes in the early church had an encounter with the Holy Spirit through which he brought joy to a whole city (Acts 8:5-8). He later went to Samaria and all the demons fled. Through him, the Gospel eventually came to Africa. The Lord can take you from the place nothingness to a height of glory. He also did it for T.L. Osborne who was the eleventh out of twelve children of same parents. He was what you will call an unwanted child, an accidental birth. But when the Holy Spirit came into his life he became a famous world Evangelist. The Lord is looking for those He will use. Will you accept Him today?

MEMORIZE: DEUTERONOMY 34:9 –And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened to him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

RECOGNISING SATAN’S VOICE

READ: GENESIS 3:1-6

Many Christians still battle with identifying Satan’s voice. Someone said, ‘As I prayed the Lord said to me, Go and join your friends in that 419 (fraudulent) business and I will bless you there. He was asked, ‘who told you it was God that made that statement?’ He replied, ‘I know it is God because He said it while I was fasting and praying, hence I went into the business.’
A brother told his pastor, ‘As I prayed and fasted on the issue of marriage, God told me, sister so and so is your wife.’ His pastor replied, ‘But sister so and so is already in courtship and would be getting married next month.’ The brother retorted, ‘that brother is in a wrong relationship. How can he marry the wife God has said is mine? The pastor told him, ‘God is not the author of confusion. I am sure it is not God that spoke to you.’
The voice many think is God’s sometimes may be Satan’s. But how do you know which is Satan’s? A close look at Genesis 3:1-6 and Matthew 4:1-11 gives us some clues. Satan presents an irresistible offer which appears the cheapest alternative to get to your desired end. For instance in the Garden of Eden, he told Eve, a bite of the forbidden fruit would make her become a god. He told Jesus he would deliver the kingdom of this world with its glory to Him at the cost of one ‘harmless’ bow.
Watch the offers you get. Be wary of anyone who says you could pass your examination without studying or even attending classes. The alternative offer may just be from Satan. Beware of anything that appears too easy to come by. It could be attached to a bow to Satan. Any offer that appears irresistible should be watched with care. The tempter could be behind it. Any voice you hear asking you to compromise your faith so as to get your promotion is definitely from Satan. Reject it and draw closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

MEMORIZE: JOHN 10:4 –And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.