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COMMANDED BLESSINGS (I)

 

Scripture Reading: [Deut 28: 8]

The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

God’s blessing brings increase not decrease. The above verse summarizes a special type of uncommon blessing. God is good and benevolent to everyone having breath of life on the earth. That is why for example, the sun shines on both the righteous and the unrighteous. He also pours out his blessing because of his steadfast love and mercy, which he renews on the righteous everyday (Lam 3:22-23). Today we will look into commanded blessings and our anchor verse will be Deut 28:8.  Commanded blessings will be enjoyed by anyone who is aware of such a special type of blessing and diligently obeys the word of God. What does the word ‘command’ and ‘blessing’ mean?

 ‘Command’ means to have dominion, authority and power.  When we say the commander of a battalion for example, we know he has authority and power over his troops.  From the above scripture it is clear that the person issuing the command is God Himself who has total control over all things in heaven and on the earth. Everybody and everything. It is only what he says that stands. For example he established the earth by a changeless decree, as the hymn writer rightly captions.

‘Blessing’ in the scripture means gift from God due to his grace.

 

Commanded blessing comes from obedience (Deut 28). We can link the following to commanded blessings: 

1.                  Divine Health: Ex 15:26

 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

 2.         Longevity: Ex 20:12

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

3.                  Gift of children: Psalm 127:3

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

4.         Divine Prosperity: Mal 3: 11, a blessing for tithes and offerings to God.

11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

 

Now that we know what commanded blessings mean, we will look into it in more details later.

 

 

Prayer Points

1.    Oh Lord, command your blessings on my life. Let me enjoy your special blessings in Jesus Name.

2.      LORD, open your windows of heaven and rain down your blessings upon my life in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

   

 

 

Bible & Prayer Nugget 0606

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Upward looking

Author: Esther Agbi

 

Bible Nugget 0606 [Colossians 3:2, KJV]

 

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

 

2. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.

 

God wants us to be focused on things above. The question now arises. What are those things above? This same passage tells us Christ is above, making intersession for you and me. We also know that God is above. He is sitting on his throne and the earth is his foot stool. The angelic host and the 24 elders are worshiping the most high day in day out.

Some of the definitions of the word “set” are to adjust, lay or stand in a certain position, make or become permanent.

 

As we begin to worship God right here on earth, we are positioning our selves for eternity, which will become permanent in due time. The love of God wells up in us and we continue to increase in our heavenly treasures. No little wonder the scripture says where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Let us as Christians risen with him continue to love what God loves and despise what He hates. The Holy Spirit will help us to adjust our lives to please Him as our aspirations, hope and our mental disposition is upward looking.

 

In the same manner, when Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples set their gaze towards heaven until the angels of God came to them and said, this same Jesus shall return in the same manner as you see him go.

 

I pray that the lord will not only allow us to be looking upward physically, but spiritually

also, until his coming in Jesus name. Amen.

 

Prayer Points 0606

  1. Lord, any cataract preventing me, from seeing you clearly, blot out from my way by your power.
  2. Father, make my affections to be in line with yours, in Jesus name. Amen

Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0605

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God’s Blessings on the Head of the Righteous

 

Bible Nugget 0605 [psalm 92:12-15 NKJV]

 

12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
         He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
 13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
         Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
 14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
         They shall be fresh and flourishing,
 15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
         He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

 

The desire of God is to glorify his children and distinguish them from the heathen. The heathen do not know God and therefore any prosperity they seem to have is ephemeral. It is short-lived. It is the memory or remembrance of the righteous that is blessed. Not the memory of the wicked. The above psalm  powerfully reminds us that we are blessed. Blessed beyond measure. As a tree of the LORD planted by the riverside we continue to flourish even though there is famine and drought all around us. Your are a trees of righteousness.  Even if things appear not to be working hang on to God and he will distinguish you. You will spring forth because God will take the Glory when you are blessed. The palm tree planted by the water has an inexhaustible source of water to keep its sap full. And a cedar tree will survive against all odds and adverse weather conditions. God’s blessings are upon your head and he will distinguish you in due time.

 

Isaiah 61:3

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

 

 

Prayer Nugget 0605

1.   Lord thank you for planting my feet on the Rock to stay. Thank you because my life will continue to flourish as I stay under your mighty protective arms in Jesus Name.

2.   I am like a big oak tree in Jesus Name. I draw my spiritual nutrients from the inexhaustible nutrient of the Almighty God in Jesus Name. Amen.

Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0603

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THIS MOUNTAIN MUST MOVE

 

Bible Nugget 0603 [Zechariah 4:6-9]

 

 6Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

 7Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

 8Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

 9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

 

This message has been brewing in my heart for 3 days. I pray the spirit of God enable me deliver it as it was ministered to me in Jesus Name.

 

Listen to this. Imagine for a moment what the world was before the re-creation of the earth in Gen 1:2-3. Utter darkness. Pitch darkness. Chaos. Rumbling of the seas. In the midst of all these, the bible says, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God by a blast of command with a great commanding tone said. “Let there be light and there was Light”. God’s spirit reshaped the chaotic earth that was without form and void.  Gen 1:1-3

1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

 3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 

Is there something out of order in your life?  It will be recreated after the order of Gen 1: 2-3 in the mighty Name of Jesus. Not by physical power but by the power of the Holy Spirit. That same power that raise Jesus from the dead. That must have been a great power. The same forces that kept the earth in chaos in Gen 1 v 2, kept Jesus in the grave for 3 days and that same Holy Ghost broke through the gates of hell and released Jesus from the grave. Therefore when he said before his death I am the resurrection and the life, he meant every word of it. He demonstrated it at the grave of Lazarus. With that same commanding tone that God used to recreate the world, Jesus used to raise Lazarus because the powers of darkness held him bound and wanted to cut short his days. Jesus shouted

“Lazarus, come forth”.  John 11:43

 

43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

 

Is there any mountain that is reluctant to move in your situation? They must move at the name of Jesus. In the army it is said obey the last command. The devil’s kingdom is a hierarchy with the devil on top of his legions of demons, principalities and powers. The devil’s powers are inferior because the last command is Jesus. When Jesus gives orders all forces of darkness must obey.

 

The hand of God empowered Zerubbabel. God gave him grace, more grace and more grace until he accomplished the task he was appointed to do. Are there things you started and the enemy says you cannot complete them, tell them to move because the power of God will move them if they refuse to move. Mountain no matter how high or large in size must move. Are you facing issues relating to your health, or the enemy wants to inflict you with symptoms of sickness? Tell it that it has no power over you. Are you faced with family crises? Tell the devil; to remove his hand from your situation. Is your business failing or are you in any financial difficulty? Tell the enemy he is too small to put you in debt. Have you started a project and you are facing challenges finishing it? Tell the enemy “I will finish this project”. Are you looking for to God for wisdom in your academic pursuit? Ask God to baptize you with his fountain of wisdom. Any breakthrough you are looking for can be yours today. Tell the mountain to go in Jesus Name.

 

In closing, there is a song with the following words. Sing it with your own lyrics

 

Satan who told you to come into my Heart [substitute heart for house, or business or family, etc]

I tell you pack your load and go

I command pack your load and go

In Jesus Name.

 

The Name of Jesus is the last command. Use the Name of Jesus and the Spirit of God will move those mountains and challenges facing you today.

 

 

Prayer Points 0603

  1. Every mountain of impossibility, I command you to move. Move and be dumped into the sea in Jesus Name.
  2. Every power and forces holding my blessings, I command you to release them. Fade away in the mighty Name of Jesus.
  3.  I loose myself from every grave clothes after the order of Lazarus in Jesus name. I receive  release from every bondage of death and hell in the mighty name of Jesus. Sickness, disease, infirmity and every form of physical or spiritual malady bow in the mighty name of Jesus.
  4. Every thing I lay my hand upon is blessed, because the power of God will enable it. Every thing I set my heart to do that will please God, I accomplish in the mighty name of Jesus.
 
 
 

 

 

 

Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0602

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HANDLING CHILDREN

 

Excerpts from a sermon on GENTLENESS

DATE: 31st May 2009

Church: Champions Pariah, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Edmonton, AB Canada 

Minister: Joseph Agbi

 

Bible Nugget 0602 [Psalm 18:36; Hosea 11:1-4]

 

 36Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.

 

Children are precious gift and blessing from God. Abraham was blessed with the birth of Isaac; Isaac was blessed with the birth of Jacob and Esau; and Jacob was blessed with 12 sons and a daughter.  The bible calls children heritage from God. Psalm 127:3

3Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

 4As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

 5Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

 

Our focus today is how do you handle children whom God has blessed you with. We will draw our reference with the way God handles his children. Is God tyrannical towards his children? No. He created us in his image so can bring pleasure to him. David acknowledging God’s gentle character said in Psalm 18:36 that God’s gentleness elevated him from a nobody to somebody. We need to be gentle towards others, even if they do not deserve our gentleness because that is God’s character and it is programmed into our heart and  since he measures our heart by his heartometer he put in the inside of us, he expects the heart to be gentle towards all men just as he is gentle. Any thing the word of God says we should do it is because God has done it before and he knows  that we can do it too.

 

Peter asking Jesus said, how many times should a man offend me before I run out of patience or my barometer of forgiveness becomes empty and stop forgiving that person. Is it 7 times? Jesus said not 7 times but until 70×7 (490). That is a lot of counting. You either lose count or confuse the offences, so it is not even worth trying to count, that is what Jesus is saying. You can count offences of people easily. I find that when I try to do this at home against my wife after 3 offences I begin to confuse the offences or she reminds me that was on another occasion, so I stop even trying to count. From this it appears my threshold is 3 offences. But it is better to forgive the first time, because we are told in scriptures not to allow the sun to go down before your anger cools off.

 

God’s character towards man is an embodiment of gentleness. He showed this towards Israel despite their persistent rebellion.  Hosea 11:1-4

 

1When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

 2As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

 3I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

 4I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

 

How does a father treat a son? v 4 gives us the answer. Shower him with love.

 

Or what is the best tactic to lead a rebellious child to his senses, be gentle towards that child. Tell him to reason with you just as God told Isearl to reason with him. He said come and let us reason together “although your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, although they as red as crimson, they shall be as wool [Isaiah 1:18].

 

v2 shows the height of provocation. Imagine the mighty deliverance.

 

In v1, the sojourn in Egypt was compared to chronological age of a person. God covenanted with Abraham for a seed, conceived in the womb of Isaac, delivered as a baby in the person of Jacob, sojourned in Egypt as a child (in innocence, Hosea 1 v1], grew in adolescence sojourning  in the wilderness for 40 years offending God, God forgiving them, offending God again and God forgiving them. Then when they became fully grown, they rebelled completely and started serving other gods and God allowed them to receive punishment by allowing their enemies to rule over them. Yet, he continued to show mercy by sending judges, kings, prophets both major and minor and so on and so on until the fullness of time when he sent Jesus and Israel continues to enjoy God’s mercy, and when they rejected Jesus as their messiah, they became “cut off” so that we can be grafted into the covenant blessings of Abraham too.  His continued mercy towards Israel and towards any child of his for that matter is for a divine purpose, marked in God’s agenda with set date.

 

God’s word says “know that God’s continued goodness (or gentleness) is for that person to have an opportunity to repent.

 

Rom 2:4

4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

 

Rom 11:22

22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

 

Even till now Israel continue to enjoy the goodness and gentleness of God because God’s continued goodness will eventually lead them to repentance and accept Christ as their Saviour.

 

Hosea 3:5 

5Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

 

So the best way to bring a rebellious child to his senses is to continue to show him love, gentleness and goodness, because he will ultimately come to his senses, before which he periodically reaps a variety of punishment for his action.

 

Prayer Points 0602

  1. Father Lord, thank you for your gentleness towards me. I will not take your love for granted in the mighty name of Jesus.
  2. Oh Lord let your gentleness distinguish me in the land after the order of Isaac in the land of the Philistines and David to all Israel in Jesus Name.
  3.  Oh Lord, mold in my heart the character of Gentleness towards my children; my spouse; the brethren and as many people you bring my way in Jesus Name.

Bible & Prayer Nugget 0601

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God’s “Heartometer” in Man

Excerpts from a sermon on GENTLENESS

DATE: 31st May 2009

Church: Champions Pariah, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Edmonton, AB Canada 

Minister: Joseph Agbi

 

Bible Nugget 0601 [Ezekiel 11:19]

 

19And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

 

 

The world has become so scientific that a lot of things are measured by instruments. For example, in a good auto diagnostic centre they you could be told how much life is left of your car engine. By using instruments you can tell whether the engine is brand new or it is so bad that it is at the verge of “knocking” or completing breaking down. Similarly, meteorologist measures atmospheric pressure by a barometer, a doctor measures blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer [simply called blood pressure monitor].  These are all in the physical world we live in.

           

In the spiritual, the gauge for measuring how much divine life is inside a man is the heart. God measures how good the heart he put in man is by the level of good things that heart generates. God’s measures “good” and “evil” by a standard heart, or new heart he put in man [the perfect heart or what in a term the Holy Spirit ministered to me called the “heartometer”].  If it generates good things such as the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace gentleness being some of them, that heart is performing well. Jesus speaking to the Pharisees said in Matt 12:34b-35

 

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.     

 

Everybody has the capacity to receive a new heart from God. A perfect heart like the one in Adam and Eve before the fall in the garden of Eden. Every good gift and perfect gift comes from God and the heart is one great gift because the spirit of God makes a clean heart his dwelling place.

 

Ezekiel 36:26-27

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

 

When you become born again, you receive this regenerated heart created for righteousness as said in the book of Ezekiel

 

2 Corinthians 5:17

17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

Even after making a decision to follow Christ, you need to continue to make that heart to produce good and not evil. To do this you need to walk in the spirit [or following the leading of  the Holy Spirit]. In fact, the Holy Spirit is there to help you succeed and live a victorious Christian life. The malfunctioning heartometer begins to function and receive signals from the Holy Spirit. You begin to want to please God by making good choices and not bad choices. When we walk in the spirit, we will not walk in the flesh. You life begin to produce the fruit as you become more mature and become more sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. You begin to bear the fruit of the spirit. It begins to ripen. People begin to see you and see Christ.  All these because your heartometer is producing good and not evil.

 

Prayer Points 0601

 

Pray the following prayers meaningfully and with all seriousness.

  1. Oh Lord, lead me in your path of righteousness. Let my heart be a place where you Holy Spirit loves to reside. Fellowship with me in your spirit and power in Jesus name.
  2. Lord Jesus, Let your overpowering light overpower me just as it did the apostle Paul on the way to Damascus and he never remained the same again in Jesus Name.
  3. Holy Spirit, make my heart to churn out tons of good things. Evil will not dwell in my heart and I will not compromise with evil things or evil men in the name of Jesus.
  4. Oh Lord, let the blessedness of the man who walks in the counsel of the godly be mine today in Jesus Name.