Exodus 18:11 - God is Great

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Exposition

I know now that the LORD is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians – In delivering the people of Israel out of bondage, the Almighty God performed big miracles which travelled far and wide. The magicians of Egypt tried to replicate some of the miracles but they failed miserably.

Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses heard of the wonderful works of God and he decided to visit Moses. When he arrived, Moses confirmed what he had heard which led him to declare that the Almighty God is greater than the sum of all other gods. It is important to note that these gods are hand made by men, carried about by people. These so called gods are deaf and dumb and therefore useless to their adherents.

The God that was great in the Bible days is still great because He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jethro and others like him heard about how God delivered His people. In the present day, the responsibility for telling non-believers about the greatness of God falls on you and I. The scriptures tell us that when we lift God up, He will draw men unto Himself.

Do not let any opportunity pass you by, tell the ‘Jethro’s’ around you what the Almighty God is doing or what He has done. Do not forget the obvious things, let His name be glorified in Jesus name. Amen

Prayer

Thank you LORD God Almighty for being my Father and my King.  I acknowledge your greatness today and forevermore. There is none like you. Before the beginning you existed. You continue to do great and mighty things.

Thank you for rescuing me from under the spell of the wicked one and it’s agents who abound all over. Let every proud Egyptian be buried in the Red Sea in Jesus name. I am free and by your grace nothing will cause me to go back to the Egypt that I have left behind in Jesus name. Amen

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Exodus 17:11 - Help in Prayer

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Exposition

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed – Joshua and his men were fighting the Amalekites while Moses and his lieutenants were positioned on top of a hill. Moses lifting up his hand in a praying position shows the importance of prayer in the life of every child of God.

Prayer has always changed things because God responds to the cries of His children. He is our present help in times of trouble. To overcome enemies, more importantly unseen ones, you need God and the hosts of heaven on your side.

Just as Moses became tired and let down his hand, sometimes men become tired and stop praying thereby playing into the hands of the enemies. Prayer requires determination not to give up until the situation changes for good. Jacob in Genesis 32:25 said to the man who he wrestled with, I will not let you go unless you bless me.

We should also remember that when we rely on God, we are able to do all things including prayer. 2 Corinthians 10: 4 tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God. Continue to pray and at all times you will prevail in Jesus name.

Prayer

Help me to recognise the need for prayers at all times. Thank you Father for I can approach you in prayer at any time. I ask for help in battling every enemy of my progress in life. As I arise in prayer let every enemy be scattered in Jesus name. I ask that you release the hosts of heaven to fight on my side. Let me sing a song of victory every day of my life in Jesus name. Amen

Proverbs 8:21 - I Will Love You, Father

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Exposition

That I may cause those that love me – Loving God is the source of every blessing you will need. This includes both spiritual and physical blessing. Jesus said that the most important commandment is loving God with all your heart, soul and mind. If this is important, how do you love God? Jesus said the evidence of loving Him is obedience to Him. You might say this is difficult, but Romans 5: 5b says God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. The benefits of loving God are too many to let go off.  See what 1 Corinthians 2: 9 tells you. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him’’. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you.

to inherit - You are in position to inherit substance because you are part of God’s family.  Romans 8: 17 confirms that - And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Everything that is available to Jesus Christ is available to you. You are encouraged today to love Jesus Christ.

substance; and I will fill their treasures – Substance is something that is firm and consistent. All the riches here on earth will pass away. Considering that time spent on earth is nothing compared to the endless time that will be spent in heaven or hell, the focus certainly should be of the substance that won’t pass away.

The ‘’Substance’’ Jesus is salvation. Decide to make heaven with distinction. Jesus Christ is solid, certain, durable and permanent. The substance that you receive in Jesus is grace. Grace enables who to operate at a level that will cause people to wonder what you are about.

Prayer

Help me to love you with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my body. Help me to obey you at all times. I want to have all that I will need while here on earth. Thank you for I am a joint heir with Christ of all that is owned by our Father. Fill my treasures and let your name be glorified in Jesus name. Amen.

Acts 2:21 - I Call on Jesus

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Exposition

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved – The two verses before this one tell a story that is real. On judgement day, there will be blood and fire and smoke. The sun as bright as it is will be turned into darkness and the moon will be turned into blood. My friend, heaven is real, so too is hell.

Romans 6: 23 says the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. Romans 3: 23 also says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That is why this is an invitation to the poor and to the rich, the weak and the strong, the bad and the good, the learned and the ignorant that to escape the grip of sin you need to call on Jesus. Jesus wipes away the guilt of sin, sin will not have power over you any longer and that punishment of death is no longer meted out to you.

The one who calls out is helpless and is calling out to the only one that can help in this matter. The Spirit of God will give you conviction that only Jesus can save you. You are calling in faith that He will see you through. As you do so today, you are delivered from the power of evil and at the same time accepted into God’s family of saints.

Prayer

I call on you Lord Jesus. Save me from the power of sin and death. I do not want to continue being half hearted towards you. I choose life not death. I choose heaven and not hell in Jesus name. With your help the door of my heart is open to you forever in Jesus name. Amen.

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Acts 2:17 - Pour Your Spirit On Me

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Exposition

The day of Pentecost had fully come as Jesus had promised the disciples. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in new tongues. The news of what was happening spread all over Jerusalem and people gathered and wondered at the spectacle they were hearing for the disciples were speaking the many languages of those who gathered. Those gathered were amazed and some said the disciples were drunk with wine. Peter rose up and declared that what was being witnessed was a fulfilment of prophecy.

I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh – The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who were separated from God because of sin and are now united with Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit therefore cleanses and renews those who become members of the family of God. The Holy Spirit does not discriminate on the basis of tribe or ethnicity, age, sex or social standing.

The pouring of the Holy Spirit indicates how abundant the blessings from God are. With the entrance of the Holy Spirit into the life of a believer, a divine ability to fulfil purpose is released upon such a person. The illiterate fisherman that Peter was, suddenly was able to speak with power and on this day, 3000 men were added to the Church!!

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams – To prophesy is to teach with authority, to predict future events as inspired by the Holy Spirit and to lead the praise and worship of God under the influence of the Holy Spirit to mention a few.

God communicates with His children especially those with the prophetic unction by revealing things to them through visions. He also makes His will known by speaking through dreams. The gift of visions and dreams is available to all you desire them in accordance with the word of God.

Prayer

Pour your spirit upon me O God. Let everything that is not right in me be flushed out by the Holy Spirit. Rather than death, let life flow out of me. Let your spirit ignite unity in the body of Christ. Let divisions come to an end. Let the power of the Holy Spirit drive away fear in me. I will start a new walk of boldness in Jesus name. Communicate with me Father, Let me dream dreams, let me see visions of heaven O God. Let your name be glorified in Jesus name. Amen

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Exodus 18:17-18 - Rest is Good

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Exposition

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone – In earlier verses we read that Moses’ father-in-law observed Moses while he carried out his administrative and judicial duties all day long. The people who brought issues for resolution probably had to wait several days before Moses was able to attend to them. Moses judged each case in line with the law of God and He made that known to the litigants.

Even though Moses was doing a good thing for the people, his method was wrong because he was doing it alone. He was being warned that if he continued with this daily schedule, he and all the people risked exhaustion and burnout. Moses was advised that delegation of duties was the way to go.

In our world today, we operate with the mind-set that there are not enough hours in a day for all that we need to accomplish. Some go about as if all the burdens in the world are on their shoulders because there are no competent hands to share responsibilities with. For some of us, it is a tendency to hug all the work in the rat race to the top and for others, trust worthiness of the people around us is the problem. We should note that whether we are there or not, there will always be work to be done.

These verses show that rest and relaxation are necessary in the life of every man. Switching off from work brings refreshment both to the mind and body. There is an abundance of ways to relax. Please take the option that suits you best.

God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth completed the task in the beginning and at the end of it all, set aside a day to rest from it all – the Sabbath. For starters, let the Sabbath day become a Sabbath indeed. Take it as a day to be refuelled by the Holy Spirit. Follow God’s example and rest.

Prayer

I thank you Father because I am alive and I am able to go about my work. I am healthy and I am well. Blessed be your Holy name. I thank you because I have a job or business to attend to. I pray for those who do not have jobs or those who have businesses which are not thriving. Open the door of favour to them today in Jesus name.

Help me as I take time out to start resting. Help me to take my mind off work as I focus on you alone. Let my Sabbath become a Sabbath indeed in Jesus name. Amen.

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Luke 6:39 - Refusing to Follow the Blind

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Exposition

He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? – Jesus Christ was asking a question of the Pharisees who were blinded by pride and prejudice, can they lead anyone without leading them into a pit? In our lives today, there is no running away from what Jesus Christ was teaching because if it is not heeded the result will be disaster.

There are important questions you should ask yourself. Who are you following and why are you following?  Is your leader leading you right and leading you into light or are you being led towards a pit? Are you being encouraged to love and pursue the things of this world rather than things that will last forever?

A blind leader is a disaster waiting to happen and a leader that is blinding you is a greater disaster. Do not allow the command of English, worldly logic or any worldly effects to dazzle you. The Scriptures teach in 1 John 4:1 that you should not believe all spirits but you should test all spirits to see whether they are from God. It is your responsibility to compare what you hear or what is happening around you with what is stated in the Bible. Sentiments have no place in your decision. Run away where the two do not align.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world. He is the One who will not lead any astray. He is the good shepherd. Jesus is the Word of God. It is beautiful to note that according to Psalm 119: 105 , the word is a light unto our feet and light unto our path. Your choosing to follow Jesus is the only way to spend eternity in heaven. Heaven is real, so also is hell. Make the right choice today.

Prayer

I do not want to end up in a ditch or in hell. Lord help me to make the right choices. I pray that greed and pride will have no place in me in Jesus name. Let me not follow any that is an agent of satan. Lead me heavenly Father, lead me. Let my inner mind be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in Jesus name. Amen.

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Acts 1:8 - Power of the Holy Ghost

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Exposition

But you will receive power, when the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth – The difference between success and failure in the life of a Child of God is the power of the Holy Ghost. It is what differentiates between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

When the ministry of Jesus Christ was about to end on earth, He told His disciples to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit before they did anything. The calling of the disciples was to spread the gospel and without the Holy Ghost it would not happen.  John 1: 12 says But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. To become a son of God is to operate in power. The day you became a child of God, you Holy Spirit started a new work in you.

The Holy Spirit teaches sons all things (John 14:26) and gives sons the ability to remember all they have been taught. Mentioning a few, the Holy Spirit gives knowledge, strength, courage and endurance to overcome trials.

Child of God, the Holy Spirit is associated with power, you have power. The power is not limited to certain areas of life, it is for all areas. The power is the divine enabler that will take you to the top. It is creative and it gives wisdom. Be aware of what you have, search and start making a difference.

Prayer

Let every ignorance of who I am in Christ die today in Jesus name. I need the power of the Holy Spirit to start working in me. Let the wisdom of Christ be stirred up in me. Let creative juices flow in me. Let the solutions to all issues of my life be opened up now in Jesus name. Let every lesser power bow now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen

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Ezekiel 3: 8 - I am Strong

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Exposition

Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads – God was warning Prophet Ezekiel who was on an assignment not to operate on the premise that it would be a bed of roses. In preceding verses God said the Prophet’s audience were a rebellious lot and a stiff hearted people.

Every child of God has a purpose in life but unfortunately the enemy has an agenda to steal, kill and destroy using his many agents. 1 Corinthians 16:9 says that a great door has been opened but there are many adversaries. You should know today that you have the backing of the Almighty God when you are operating wherever He has placed you. On your job, or business, within the family or your ministry there are those who are determined to stare you down and those you do not want your success.

Receive courage and strength for victory. Do not operate in fear. Be assured that no matter how resolute the opposition is, you have been made more resolute than them. No matter how bold the opposition is, you have more boldness in you than they have. Stand on the side of truth and you will overcome.

Prayer

I receive strength to continue on the paths set before me. I receive confidence that I am tougher than the enemy. No matter how hard or stubborn the enemy is, I am made to out-last the enemy. By the grace of God, I will not give up, my voice will be heard and I will be the difference in my generation in Jesus name.

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Luke 6: 38 - Giving and Receiving

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Exposition

give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap – There are those who would give to those who are in need purely out of the goodness of their hearts. There are also those who will give calculating that when they are in need, this person will stand up to help me.

Jesus is inserting Himself into the equation that if you learn to give, it is a debt to Him. Humans can forget the kindness received, but He cannot forget. He is the only One who can fully repay acts of kindness.

How will He repay? The Bible tells the heart of the King is in the hands of God. So also is the heart of every person. He will incline the heart of men to give back to you when you are in need. Not only will men give back, He will cause them to give back to you with interest.

For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you –The truth here is a simple one. You should expect to be treated the way you treat other people. If you are generous and kind hearted, God will cause men to do the same with you and if you are mean spirited and miserly, you will receive the same treatment.

We live in times where no man is completely self-sufficient. As the song says, no man is an island. Therefore give your time, resources and influence to help other people. Let giving become a part and parcel of your life and using accounting language, God cannot remain in the debit column. He will repay as only Him can do do.

Prayer

I ask for the grace to give to others. Your word says it is more blessed to give than to receive. Wherever there is a need, let me be the first in line to be a blessing. Help me to put others first, I must not be blind to the needy around me. Let your name be glorified in Jesus name. Amen

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Luke 6:37 - Judging

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Exposition

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned – This is one of the most mis-interpreted verses in the bible. Across the society, those who do wrong are no longer corrected because many verses such as this one will be quoted back. Being religious, we do not want to go against what the Bible teaches.

For a proper understanding and interpretation of this verse, please read Matthew 7:1-4, Romans 2:1-3, Romans 14:10. You’d see that Jesus was speaking to hypocrites who have a log in their eye which has not been removed yet they are bothering about another person that has a tiny speck. It’s about expecting those who expect perfection yet they are far from being perfect. This is the judgement that must not happen.

Judge not, and ye shall not judged does not mean you should close your eyes to sin. How then should we deal with one who is sinning without violating the words of Jesus Christ? James 5:19-20 says My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 2 Timothy 2:25 says we should correct with gentleness believing the corrected one will be led to repentance by God.

We see that the one who does wrong should be shown the error of his ways and saved from death and it should be done with gentleness and not with spite.

Can we judge or not? You, the judge provides the answer. Do you judge and do the same thing like in Jews in Romans 2. Do you have a log in your eyes yet chase a speck in another’s? God wants us to be the one who is restoring and not condemning. We will not condemn when we know that we are where we are, by the grace of God.

forgive, and ye shall be forgiven – If we forgive the injuries done to us by others, others will forgive our injuries to them too. If we forgive others, remember that God will forgive us our sins against Him.

Prayer

Thank you Father for you are good to me all the time. Thank you for allowing me to live in your grace. Help me extend that grace to other people too. Help me live according to your word. Help me to be my brother’s keeper. Help me to accept correction from others no matter who they are. Help me to remove the log in my own eyes before seeing the speck in the eyes of others. Give me the boldness to do right by correcting with love and not spite or hatred.  Help me Father not to live in arrogance and wanting to be Lord over anybody.

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Luke 6: 36 - Be Merciful

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Exposition

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful – Jesus is saying that His children should imitate Him. As He is merciful towards us His children so should we be merciful towards all others. Lamentations 3: 22 says that It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Imagine what would happen to you without God’s mercy towards you. You should make a list and be thankful!!

As God gives support or as God commiserates with all who need it so should we as children of God do all within our power to remove misery in the life of all who are in distress.

To show mercy is to be tender hearted or kind or to show love to everyone. To be merciful, past injuries will have to be overlooked just as God says in Hebrews 8:12 that He will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more.

To be merciful is to pardon people even though they have not asked to be pardoned. It is also to not allow repeated acts of ingratitude to stop you from doing good or right to those who do not say thank you, including those who are not part of God’s family.

In the world today not to remember past insults seems hard, which is why there is need to pray for grace to do so today.

Prayer

I thank you for all the mercies you have ever shown to me and all you will continue to show to me and my family. I struggle in many areas and you still show me mercy. Your word says that I should be perfect as you are perfect. As your child, I want to be like you. Help me to walk daily like you want me to walk. Let every heart of stone become a heart of flesh.

Help me to overlook all that I should overlook. Help me to be good despite what anybody says or does. Let your limitless grace flood all over me now and forever more in Jesus name. Amen

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Luke 5: 16 – Withdraw to Pray

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Exposition

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed – Jesus Christ preached, taught and healed. He did this every day of His ministry on earth. As He did all this, more and more people came to Him. He needed rest from fatigue and He needed time to pray.

We are busy people, what with 24 hour economies, the internet, social media and a bunch of stuff, there is something to learn from our Lord, Jesus Christ. That is setting time to nurture our relationship with God. It is at such times that we praise and worship Him. It is at such times that we take our cares to Him, it is at such times that we have an opportunity to listen to God.

When we are successful, there is a greater need for prayer. There should be a realisation that to maintain any level of success, more prayer is required. Success can also lead to self-dependence if care is not taken. We should learn to give glory to God at all times especially in prayer.

Jesus prayed for strength to fulfil his mandate. He prayed for His disciples, He prayed for saints all over. We must learn to do the same too. We must pray for our leaders and neighbours. There are crisis flash points all over the world that need our prayers. Children are victims of war, they need our prayers.

Prayer

Help me to find time to rest and pray. Help me to switch off from all the things that compete for my time and put prayer first. I certainly need direction so that I do not lose my way. Help me to create a place where I will be comfortable to pray. I receive all the grace that I need in Jesus name. Amen

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Luke 5: 5-6 - Master I Hear You

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Exposition

Simon answered, Master – There is no evidence to say that Simon had heard of Jesus yet he responded to Jesus Christ by calling Him, Master. He recognised the authority of Jesus Christ. You have probably heard of Jesus Christ, or you have experienced His power or you have read about Him. Friend, He is still the Master for He is irreplaceable. He is Almighty. He created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. Take your reading this note today as a call from Jesus Christ. He is knocking on the door of your heart and all you have to do is the heed the call and I can assure you, that your life will be changed for the better.

we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything – Simon was the expert fisherman and He assumed Jesus had no clue about his seeming predicament. Simon and his colleagues were a hard working bunch like many today but with little to show for it. Proverbs 13: 5 says good understanding giveth favour, but the way of transgressors is hard. A life of obedience leads to favour from heaven but a life of disobedience which is sin leads to a hard life putting it mildly.

But because you say so, I will let down the nets. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break – Peter went on to obey the command despite his feeling that the possibilities were slim. The result of obedience in this instance was the power of God attracting fish from wherever they were and positioning them into Simon’s nets. If every man could obey Jesus in all situations, the result would be a life of blessing just like Simon encountered. Jesus does not disappoint. Have confidence in Him, obey Him and you’d get every blessing that is available to man from heaven.

Prayer

You are my Father and my Lord. I honour you my Master. Thank you for calling out to me. Help me to continue hearing your voice. I fall in line asking that you lead me day by day. Let me live to enjoy every blessing of obedience in Jesus name. Amen

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