NUMBER YOUR DAYS

READ: PSALM 90:11-12

A year may appear very long to many, but it takes wisdom to see the whole from its parts. This passage gives the average age of man on planet earth as 70 years. This is split into several phases. Childhood takes up at least the first 13 years. Sleeping six hours daily takes another 17 years. The remaining 40 years involve schooling, work, leisure, religious activities, and so on. The reality is that you have far less time at your disposal than you thought.
Splitting years into days gives you room to appreciate the beauty of life and helps to maximise its full potential. It also enables you to re-prioritize what you do. You can differentiate what is truly important from what is merely essential. Briefly examine how many hours you spend daily on sleeping, watching TV, reading newspapers, gisting, working, idleness, pleasure and schooling. Now compare this to the time you spend with God.
The preacher says, ‘Teach me to number my days, that I might apply my heart to wisdom.’ You are likely to discover that you give too little time to God. Wisdom here requires that you increase your time with God in comparison with other things. For instance, at work or school, you could use your break or rest periods to pray and win souls for Christ. The Scriptures says: ‘…redeeming the time for the days are evil.’ This means that, having lost so many years to Satan while you were sinner, you optimise the time left for God’s glory. Let every minute count.
Outline what you hope to do for the year and break it down, with set targets of what you plan to achieve or accomplish in six months, every quarter, month, week and day. Work to meet the daily requirement while keeping the week in focus. This, backed up with prayer, can help you accomplish your goal. Time is on the run. Stop wasting it. Trim off hours wasted in sleep and other areas. Increase the time you give to God. Pay your daily 2.4 hours tithe of time in worship, prayers, intercession, witnessing and other good works. Remember, on Judgement day, you will account for each day spent on earth. Number your days so that they don’t slip by.

MEMORIZE: PSALM 90:12 –So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

IN THE BEGINNING, GOD …

READ: GENESIS 1:1-5

Today’s text reveals certain things I believe will be a blessing to you. After introducing God at the very beginning, it talks about the problems of the earth-formless, empty and dark. Then the spirit of God swings into action and begins to bring order into a chaotic situation. This day, learn to put God first in everything you do. Before leaving home to work, school or church, spend time with God. As you enter each week, commit it into his hands. Before you take any decision, major or minor, acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:6).
The earth stood before God just as it was. It did not hide its many problems. Do not try to hide anything from him. Whether you tell him or not, he already knows anyway. So expose all your secret faults, fears and weaknesses to him. The earth yielded to the Spirit and it had good tales to tell thereafter. Yield yourself to him and let him work out his plan in your life. The Spirit of God will work in you only with your consent. You may not understand what he is doing or how he is doing it. Yet trust him for the best. In the end, you will appreciate it.
When God is first, that means every situation, problem or challenge that comes your way will first confront him instead of you. Any problem or mountain that comes in contact with God will disappear into nothingness. Besides, when you put God first in your life this day, all your godly desires will flow to you.
“There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the LORD’S counsel that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21). Not all the plans you have should be carried out. It is only when they are presented to God for proper vetting, not just approval, that his searchlight will refashion them into what they should be, revealing which ones you should execute, and when and how. A major handicap for Christians is their inability to understand the workings of the Spirit and where he is leading in every circumstance, pleasant or otherwise. But as long as he is with you, he is working out something good for you today.

MEMORIZE: GENESIS 1:1 –In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

A NEW SONG

READ: LUKE 7:11-15

How best can we spend this day than singing songs of praise unto God for His mercies? Today, I feel like singing a new song. I feel like erupting into rapturous singing. You may wonder why you must sing when you seem not have witnessed the total fulfillment of your dreams. You have lots of reasons to sing a new song unto the Lord. God has brought you this far. The future is in His hand. You will sing a new song when God opens your eyes spiritually. When you receive the touch of Holy Spirit, you will sing a new song. The Lord will turn your captivity so that you will have a new song. Psalm 126:1-2 says: “When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing.” When the children got to the Red Sea (here was no way forward. When they saw Pharaoh and his soldiers behind them, they became dejected and queried Moses. However, the Almighty God who had decided to have mercy on them showed up and divided the Red Sea for them to pass. He destroyed their enemies. By the next morning, they had a new song (Exodus 15). When David escaped from Saul and all his enemies, a new song came into his mouth, as recorded in Psalm 48. When God decides to have mercy on you, a new song will come into your mouth. Even in heaven, we shall sing new songs (Revelation 7:9-10; 11-12). There, we shall sing songs of ultimate victory. Do not worry about all the problems associated with the past. A new day is at the door. This day is pregnant with spiritual and material blessings for you. However, you must not forget to learn from your past mistakes. Jesus is the only One you can trust. When there is crisis in your life, you should not look unto anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only One who can stand by you as you face the challenges of today.

MEMORIZE: PSALM48:1 –Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.