PLANNING WITHOUT GOD

READ: JAMES 4:13-17

“Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).
Another factor responsible for wastage of time and resources is planning without God. Many plan but do not carry God along. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass”. Any plan you make without God can become rubbles at anytime. But if you make God the foundation of your plans, He will be the One to effect the plan. To come with a winning plan, you must have an idea of what you hope to accomplish; submit it to God and where necessary yield your will to His; have faith in whatever plan He eventually approves for you and pursue that plan as He leads you every step of the way.
Do you know God is interested in every area of your life? Each year, you should team up with the Lord to set financial, spiritual, academic, social, mental and ministerial goals. Today’s reading condemns planning without God. Matthew 6:34 says every day has a measure of evil already programmed into it by the enemy. Yet God has a will for every day. The only way you can achieve a winning goal is by praying, “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10).
Frivolous talks, gossips, talkativeness, etc. take a good part out of the lives of believers who cannot control their tongues. Many people prefer to talk over problems with friends outside whereas the Friend inside has not been informed. You can redeem such waste by cutting off ungodly counsel and involvement in unprofitable talks (Psalm 1:1-3). Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is a time to speak and a time to be quiet. A fool who keeps quiet when he should would be considered wise at that moment. A wise man would be seen to have lost a measure of wisdom when he speaks at the time he should be quiet. Are you always talking? Keep your mouth shut. Learn to be quiet in His presence. The reason some people are always talking is because they love to hear themselves, not because it is essential. God cannot trust talkative believers. They would have revealed their secrets to the enemy before they realize it. Time spent on frivolous talk can never be regained.

MEMORIZE: JAMES 4:15 –For that you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

CHANGE IN 1440 MINUTES

READ: 2 KINGS 7:1-2

“Then Elisha said, Hear you the word of the LORD, Thus says the LORD, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria” (2 Kings 7:1).
Samaria had been surrounded so completely by enemies that after they exhausted their food supply, they began to eat their children. God is such a merciful God. He saw what was going on and sent help from above. He sent His servant Elisha to tell the king of Samaria that there will be a complete turn around within 1440 minutes. Who is the One talking so confidently about tomorrow? He is the One who knows tomorrow; the One who sees the end of a thing at its beginning. He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God.
God can do a great deal in 1440 minutes. In Exodus 14:21-28, God made a way through the Red Sea, drowned the Egyptians and put paid to their slavery forever – all within 1440 minutes! In Daniel 6:16-24, God stooped the lions and promoted Daniel within one day. The widow of 2 Kings 4 was given 24 hours to clear her debts or have her children taken as slaves. God not only paid her debts but also provided enough for her and her household to live on for the rest of their lives.
There is someone who is currently this Devotional. Within the next 1440 minutes, God will visit you and completely turn your life and situation around for the best. When this materializes, do not fail to give testimony of God’s faithfulness to seal up your blessing. Within 24 hours, the siege over your life will be over. Within 1440 minutes peace will be restored to your home. Within 1440 minutes, that situation of acute poverty and lack will be turned into great riches, prosperity and abundance. Only believe. All things are possible to those who believe. If God has done it before, He can do it again. Your case is no exception.

MEMORIZE: 2 KINGS 7:1 –Then Elisha said, Hear you the word of the LORD, Thus says the LORD, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

MOUNTAIN – TOP BENEFITS

READ: MATTHEW 5:1-12

In today’s reading, the disciples climbed to meet Jesus on a mountain. The mountain is the ideal place for every child of God. It is not easy to climb a mountain though. The climber could fall. He will exert a lot of energy and sweat. He will have to be extra careful with his steps. All mountain climbers must pay a price to be on top of the mountain. This year, the Lord will help you to the top of the mountain and you will stay there in Jesus name.
There are several benefits of being on the mountain top. If affords you the opportunity of seeing what others cannot see. Also, those who climb close to Jesus will hear Him even when he whispers, while He will have to shout at the multitude before they can hear Him. The medium God communicates frequently with you is determined by the distance you keep from Him. If you are close enough, He will talk to you through the still small voice. He will speak to the inner ears of your spirit man. But if you are far off, He will have to use the audible voice and speak to your physical ears. How does God communicate with you? Some believers hardly hear God speak to them except in dream. This might mean that they have kept distance from Him and have been too busy to let Him into their thoughts and activities in the day. This is a dangerous place to be because if God has to wait until night to ell you what should happen today, you will be casualty of the day: it will be too late. But if God speaks to you anytime through His word, flashes of vision or voice; that indicates that you are close to Him. How close are to Him. How close are you to Jesus?
Another benefit on the mountain top is that it affords you the opportunity to know more than those in the valley. It broadens your horizon. If you have never travelled out of your country of birth, your view about the world and life in general may be stereotyped. But when you have travelled through most part of the world, your views will definitely be broadened. There is so much to learn. There is so much God wants to show you. God has volumes to teach you. But you have to come to the top of the mountain to receive such divine revelations. The best treasures are reserved on mountain top-that is in God’s presence. Take a decision to leave your present spiritual level and get to the top and possess your possession.

MEMORIZE: MATTHEW 5:1 –And seeing the multitude, He went up into a mountain; and when He was set, his disciples came to Him.

SPIRITUAL NETWORKING

READ: JOHN 1:35-47

“He first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him, we have found the Messiah, which is being interpreted, the Christ” (John 1:41).
In various organizations today, different marketing strategies are adopted in moving goods from the producers to the ultimate consumers. Usually there is a kind of chain of distributors that lie between the producer and the end user. One conventional way of marketing products is to possibly eliminate the chain of wholesalers, and retailers as well as to cut down on the usual advertising costs so as to bring the product at a competitive price to the end user and compensate the inside network of distributors. It operates through a chain-a network system where buyer cannot only have a product but also be compensated for referring friends and relatives to use the same product.
The truth is multi-level marketing strategies have long been in use from Bible days. The fact that a couple-Adam and Eve-were the earliest to live on earth as human beings at the time of creation, and that due to reproduction, the world currently has more than seven billion people, lends credence to this. Similarly, as Jesus began His ministry, He started alone. One after the other, He began to draw individuals to Himself. In today’s reading, we see that Andrew, an erstwhile disciple of John the Baptist was the one behind the conversion of his brother Simon Peter. After he met Christ, he brought Peter to Him. Years later, Peter won several thousands to Christ who in turn won so many more into God’s kingdom.
Andrew was not alone. Philip after knowing Jesus introduced Nathaniel to Christ. Nathaniel later became one of the apostles who brought several souls into the kingdom. In this process, the spiritual network continued to expand. It must not die in our time. Considering the great rewards available for each soul won in heaven, it is therefore very important that we must continue this spiritual networking by winning more souls to Christ. The Lord is challenging every born again believer all over the world to a commitment of winning one soul a month. That means each believer will have 12 souls minimum per annum. If we can do this for a period of 10 years I believe the gospel would have spread all over the world. If you do this, you will be among those bearing minimum fruit and will be rewarded. You will also benefit from the converts your own converts will bear. Take this call seriously and start today!

MEMORIZE: JOHN 15:2 –Every branch in Me that bears not fruit He takes away; and evry branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

MOMENTS OF PRESSURE

READ: MALACHI 3:2-4

The Lord will make you perfect in Jesus name. To be perfect, you have to go through the path of suffering and trial. Suffering reveals your weakness and gives you the opportunity of identifying and correcting them. It is easy to pray for someone in trouble than when you are the one in trouble. Some sisters are fantastic prayer champions when it comes to interceding for others. But when their children have convulsion, they suddenly lose their strength and courage and begin to panic like those who have no knowledge of God. No! That is the opportunity you have to prove God is alive in you!
You cannot correctly say how you are until problems come. If somebody tells you that you are proud, you may most likely deny it until you see yourself manifesting traits of haughtiness in the midst of pressure. One reason God applies pressure is because nobody is born wise. According to Proverbs 22:15, every child is born foolish which is why cane has to be applied to replace folly with wisdom. In God’s dealing with us, he knows that some adults have outgrown being caned hence He uses fire to do what cane can no longer achieve.
Some believers call for the fire by their refusal to receive the message of the pastor and make necessary adjustment. A friend of mine, a baker, refused to accept the teaching on tithes. In fact, he said he did not like the book of Malachi for its teaching on tithing. Not long after, all the staff went on holidays and refused to return. And the bakery closed down. After three weeks, I saw him when I went home. He was busy complaining when I told him it was because he was robbing God. He asked me to pray for him promising that when the bakery reopens, he will be faithful in tithing. In less than 48 hours, fresh applicants applied and the bakery reopened. He has not failed to tithe since then. God knows how to teach you a lesson if you are not ready to learn the easy way. You can avoid the fire sometimes by simply responding to God’s Word. Or you can multiply the fire you will go through. Some Christians are currently going through a fire they could have avoided by being humble, obedient and submissive to God. Where do you stand?

MEMORIZE: MALACHI 3:2 –But who may abide the day of His coming and who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.