MULTIPLYING PROVISION

READ: MATTHEW 15:32-38

“And He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude” (Matthew 15:36).
Thanksgiving, beyond being a type of prayer is a type of giving. Any work that is not backed by faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Thanksgiving is an act of faith. Acts of faith are counted to you as acts of righteousness. For instance, Galatians 3:6 says, Abraham believed God and it was counted for him for righteousness. Every time you sincerely thank God for something, it is recorded as an act of righteousness that will earn you some reward. Whenever you thank God, you are acknowledging that God is alive and He is playing His role in your life. Anytime you refuse to thank Him, you are indirectly saying He doesn’t exist and thereby accusing Him of non-performance.
“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Do you know anytime you ask God for something without offering thanks, your request may not be properly tabled before the Lord? This is because thanksgiving is the means of making your request attractive to God. If 100 believers come before God with various requests, those whose requests are better packaged will be singled out for prompt attention. Such people are those requests are well packaged with thanksgiving.
Your request is incomplete without thanksgiving. The one who gives thanks to God is a wise giver. Some people pray for the fun of it. Some pray because they are compelled by circumstances to. They do not really care whether they obtain result or not. But the one who packages his request within and without with thanksgiving is praying for results. He is hitting the bull’s eye whenever he prays. From our reading, the provision for the multitude remained limited until Jesus solicited the ministry of thanksgiving. As soon as thanksgiving was brought into that situation, the provision was multiplied in excess. If you have very little when so much is required, do not fear. Through thanksgiving you could multiply what you have to meet your need. Embrace thanksgiving today and enter the era of abundance.

MEMORIZE: MATTHEW 15:36 –And He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

STANDING TALL

READ: LUKE 19:1-10

“And they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward” (1 Samuel 10:23).
When Saul was to be crowned king in Israel, he stood in the crowd but was a shoulder higher. He had what made him outstanding. In today’s reading, we see a rich publican named Zacchaeus. He was of a very little stature. He was so short that to see Jesus he had to climb a tree. His stature physically limited him. In a crowd, he would be unnoticed. Are you swallowed up in a crowd? The Lord will assist you. You shall not die of average performance in academics, business, wealth, ministry. You shall stand tall among others from today. If you can conveniently hide in the crowd without be noticed, it is because you are still average. When popular musicians come to town, their fans would barely let them go. When Goliath came on the scene, all average Israeli soldiers who were boasting before suddenly kept quiet and found their level. As you stand tall in the power of His spirit, every situation that had beclouded your vision would find its level.
Another characteristic of an average person is that they attempt to slow down those who want to be outstanding. For example David’s brothers (1 Samuel 17:26-28). Average people always sit on the fence. They play smart. Some ushers will deliberately come late to have others tidy the church before their arrival. They lack commitment. Average Christians blame someone or something for every defeat, failure or challenge. Fear is the greatest undoing of the average person. They are afraid to fail, fall or miss the point hence they refuse to take crucial steps that can positively affect their destiny. An average person can never be taller than his or her surroundings. If you feel dwarfed by your challenges, it is an evidence that you lack what will make you stand tall. Paul was of a small stature. A brother who visited heaven said he is so short that when he sat on a chair, his legs did not touch the ground. Yet spiritually he stood like a colossus and was far higher than his challenges. Little wonder he was always victorious. Zacchaeus was assisted by climbing a tree. You too can be assisted by climbing Jesus the true Vine Tree by the power of the Spirit so that you can be above your challenges.

MEMORIZE: 1 SAMUEL 10:23 –And they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

BENEFITS OF HOME CHURCHES

READ: MARK 2:1-4

We are certain the early church had several home churches. The question some will like to ask is: Did they copy it from Jesus? Was there a home church when Jesus was still on earth? Jesus preached in several homes where multitudes gathered to hear Him. According to today’s reading, He was preaching in somebody’s house when some people brought a man who was sick of the palsy. When they could not gain entrance, they removed the roof and dropped the sick man at Jesus’ feet. If they had done so in the temple they would have been killed. What this simply shows is that a house is good for a church. And that if Jesus could preach in a house, there is no reason a church should not exist in your home.
What types of blessings can be received in home churches? Every blessing that can take place in the regular church can also be received in a home church. In today’s reading, not only was the sick man healed, his sins were also forgiven and God’s name was glorified. In Acts 10:30, 33-34, 48, in the home church of Cornelius there was fasting and prayer and an angelic presence. They heard the Word of God, were saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit and later baptized in the water. A church is a place of rest, prayer, healing, worship, baptism of the Holy Spirit and preparation for water baptism. All these are functions of a living church and they happened in the houses of Cornelius, Aquila, Lydia and Philemon. They should happen also in yours.
The way some leaders run their home churches is nothing to write home about. They see it as a burden and treat it with kid gloves. The carelessness of some leaders has ‘killed’ their home churches. The home church can only be as alive as the leader. If you have a vibrant leader, the home church will also be vibrant and a place with testimonies. If members’ prayer requests are regularly followed up until the answers come, and there is adequate concern and practical care for members, in a short time the house fellowship will be full. As a member of a home church, what have you contributed towards making it a success story? Some home churches are doing so well that they attract members of other home churches. How are you running yours? Do you take time to visit one another? Do you add to the life or death of the home church?

MEMORIZE: ACTS 10:44 –While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word.