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Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0312

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Victory over Afflictions

Bible Nugget 0312 [Psalm 34 v 19-20 KJV]

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

 Take a time to reflect on this question; “who do you run to in the times of trouble”.  Do you run to man or resign yourself to fate and say whatever happens should happen or do you simply give up and become overwhelmed by the problem. If you do that you will always live in defeat instead of victory, because another problem or a replica of the first problem will arise. It is like an infection that needs a strong dose of penicillin to cure it; if you keep treating the problem with kid’s gloves it will keep repeating itself.  No matter the degree of difficulty of the problem you may have or be facing at this time, there is one solution; God himself. He is faithful. He promised deliverance from all types of trouble which has ever been registered on the face of the earth. There was a friend of mine who was told by his teacher that he will face all kinds of trouble and that there will be no help for him. The friend indeed faced all types of troubles but when he sits to reflect on the victories achieved over the troubles as they arose, he  sees only one hand in his deliverance; God himself. The scripture is very instructive on trusting God for help:

1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV)

13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

No one is immune from troubles. Even, the very spiritual faces troubles. However, no matter the level of affliction you are in, God promised a way of escape. That is the good news to your troubles. David as a Sheppard boy before he became king faced all types of trouble, plots and schemes from King Saul who tried to prevent him from reaching the throne. He may have counted some of the troubles when he wrote the verses of our beginning nugget.

The Lord Jesus himself was faced with many troubles and temptations, yet without sin. Heb 4:15

15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

From birth, Herod plotted to kill the young child. God sent protection and deliverance, keeping the young child. By all bible account it must have been very special divine protection Jesus received until he was 30 years of age when he began his ministry, because the devil through King Herod and the Jews of that age would have exterminated him before his public ministry. When he first revealed himself to Israel as their Messiah in Luke 4:15-30, they were filled with wrath and took him to the edge of a cliff to throw him down. How special was his deliverance, or how do you think it was possible without divine help? Read the account for yourself in Luke 4:28-30.

 

28And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

 29And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

 30But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

 

After this incident, the trials any temptations only multiplied, but he overcame them all. His word to the disciples was not that they will be immune from problems as Christians but they should be encouraged because he as our forerunner overcame all types of tribulations.

John 16:33

 33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

So next time you are faced with a fresh trouble, do not resign yourself to fate or give up. Be as bold as a lion, and let the king of kings sort it out for you.  No problem is insurmountable in the name of the Lord Jesus. Cast all your cares on him for he cares for you. Ask God to send divine help. He can navigate all troubled waters surrounding you and bring you safely to shore. If it means sending angels to help you, God will do it. Recall the story of the children of Israel before the red sea. The red sea was before them and Pharaoh and his army were behind them. Moses said to the children of Israel; fear not and you shall see the salvation of the Lord. God sent a strong wind that divided the red sea into two, so that the children of Israel walked through the dry land in the sea which the Egyptians trying to do, were drowned. The Lord will break the cycle of troubles you are facing and bring divine solution to all your problems in Jesus Name.   The desire of God is to bring every problem you are facing to an end. Be encouraged by this scripture:  Nahum 1: 7, 9 (NIV)

7 The LORD is good,
       a refuge in times of trouble.
       He cares for those who trust in him,

9 Whatever they plot against the LORD
       he will bring to an end;
       trouble will not come a second time.

Prayer Nugget 0312

Thank God for victory you have enjoyed so far in every area of your life as follows:

1.       Lord thank you for the victory over every affliction that I have encountered in my life. Thank for raising a standard against the raging forces of the enemy in my spiritual, marital, financial and secular life in Jesus Name.

2.       Thank you for proclaiming your peace over the raging storms and granting me success and favour in the works of my hand.

3.       Thank you for my wife and children for blessing them extremely and disgracing the works of the enemy over their life.

4.       Thank you for your divine wisdom to deal with every affliction and making a way out when the enemy says there is no way.

5.       Thank you for deploying your angelic forces to destroy the sources and stronghold of affliction in Jesus name. Amen.

Address every affliction against you and command them to bow in Jesus Name.

6.       You affliction sent to trouble me, be troubled and return to the sender in Jesus Name.

7.     My life will not be an attraction to the evil insects of affliction. Every evil insect of affliction trying to deposit affliction on me in whatever shape or form be roasted by the fire of the Holy Ghost in Jesus Name.

Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0311

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First and fourth Beatitudes of Godly Character

 

Bible Nugget  0311 [Matthew 5 v 3 & 6 KJV]

 

3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. …

6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled..

 

Or as narrated in New Living Translation Bible version

 

3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
      for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

 

6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
      for they will be satisfied.

 

A. Poor in Spirit

 

I like to share these two verses amongst the series of verses on blessedness in the sermon by Jesus in Matthew 5. The bible makes us understand that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost [Rom 14:17]. God blesses or is ready to bless those who realize they are truly spiritually wrenched, naked and blind. These are the poor in spirit. For these people, they want to please God and are heaven’s candidates because they realize their utter dependence on God. They reverence God and take his word to heart, have a broken spirit, and a contrite heart and will not hide in their sins but rather humble themselves in repentance Isaiah 66:2 b.

 ………, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

An example of someone poor in the spirit was King David, who said  in his prayer of repentance in Psalm 51:16-17:

16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

 

The poor in spirit will receive the things of God like a little child and will totally empty themselves of pride, arrogance and have no affinity for worldliness. They are ready for personal discipleship with Jesus. Matthew 11:28-30

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

They are not lukewarm and want to make heaven no matter what they have to forsake to achieve this. Jesus in his wakeup call to the Laodecian church in Rev 3:15-21 said:

15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

  21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

 

B. Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

Another group God wants to bless are those who hunger and thirst for his righteousness or justice. These are people who want and keep their garments as white as snow until the second coming of Jesus or rapture. They are filled with the spirit of holiness.  They are unsatisfied with their present state and want more of the character of God in their lives. They pant after God. Psalm 42:1-2

 

1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

 2My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

 

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will not compromise their salvation for a morsel of meat or the pleasure of sin; they will not see evil and call it good. They are not self-righteous. Jesus gave an example of two men who prayed to God and God’s assessment of each person. Luke 18:9-14

9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

They love personal fellowship with God and other believers: Psalm 84:1-2

 

 1How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!

 2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

 

Finally, they will not seek for revenge but rather wait for God to promote and honour them. Even before Pontius Pilate Jesus, Jesus showed great piety and restraint. He could have called for a multitude of angels (his servants) to deliver him from death which would be disobedience to the absolute will of God to save mankind by his death and resurrection. His character before Pilate is worth emulating.

 

Let’s read the account in John 18:36-37

 36Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

 

 

 

 37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

 

 No wonder King David in worship prophesied  of Jesus in Psalm 45:6-7:

 6Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

 7Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 

Do you want to see these two godly characters in your life.  Hunger and thirst more for the character of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit will help you as you seek these godly virtues and he will fill you with his power. John 7: 37-39

37In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

 39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

 

Prayer Nugget 0311

 

Holy Spirit infilling Prayer:

  1. Oh Lord fill me with your Holy Spirit. Soak me, drench me, and saturate me with your presence and power in Jesus Name.
  2. Oh LORD give me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Let my soul pant for your righteousness like the deer pants for streams of water in Jesus Name.
  3. Purge my heart with your precious blood Lord Jesus. I empty myself of every form of pride. I embrace you with my whole heart. I cast all my burdens on you in Jesus name.
  4. Lord, make your righteousness to run deep in my heart. Holiness and godliness will be my desire all the days of my life in Jesus Name.
  5. Lord, let your kingdom reign in every area of my life. Make me a model Christian and form the character of Jesus in my life in  Jesus Name. Amen.

Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0303

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A Bountiful Harvest Awaits You

Bible Nugget 0303 [Genesis 26 12-14 KJV]
 12Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

 13And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

 14For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

 

This is one of the most outstanding miracles recorded in scriptures defying the laws of simple addition. It is part of the covenant blessing, a pact made between Abraham and God that Abraham’s descendants will be blessed. In the year when drought and famine ravaged the land, Isaac, Abraham’s son obeyed God, went forward by faith and experienced multiple-fold increase. God’s promises are yea and amen, and what he says he will do. God told Isaac to stay in Gerar and not to take off  to find relief in Egypt.  Gen 26 v3 reads:

 3Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

God had foresight for Isaac. He showed Isaac favor and, blessed him beyond measure. God does not add sorrows to His blessings. His blessings will confound your adversaries that they begin to wonder how you made it when others are losing. Are you at the point of quitting or losing faith?  Put your confidence in the Lord, for he promised that his people will not be put to shame.

 

 

 

Prayer Nugget 0303

Lord, let you divine favour be my portion in all things and at all times. As your word says, Isaac sowed in the land you told him to stay and he was blessed by you with a hundred fold harvest in the same year breaking natural laws.  Grant me a heart of obedience to hearken to your voice. I will not be dull of hearing. I shall be quick to obey your voice. I receive hundred fold returns as I sow and you bless the work of my hands in Jesus name. I wax great, I move forward and grow in your grace and favour beyond human measure in Jesus Name. Send your favour where I had not been favoured in time past, open unto me the secret treasures of your kingdom and make me to begin to follow all your kingdom principles in Jesus Name. All covenanted blessings in Christ are mine in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

Bible & Prayer Nuggets 0302

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In God’s Image and Likeness

 

Bible Nugget 0302 [Gen 1:26-28, KJV]

26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Everyone is an offspring of the first Adam, made in the Image and likeness of God. Man did not evolve from Apes or monkeys as some would have people believe. God created the lesser animals and then man to crown his creation. Every other living creature was created by God speaking them into existence, but man was created by a very thoughtful process. It takes great thought to create something original  and man was original because he is an image of the triune God, given a spirit and soul living in a body.

God is a Spirit, man has a spirit. The clearest scripture is as said by Jesus in John 4:24

 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

God has a Soul, man has a soul. The clearest scripture is in Gen 2:7 when God gave Adam life from himself (God performed the first Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation, CPR).

7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 

God has a Body, man has a body. The physical presence of the member of the Godhead on earth in the person of Jesus Christ is the clearest scripture.  John 1:1-4.

Some bodily parts of God to name a few in scriptures are as follows:

Heart [Gen, 6:6; 8:21]

Gen 6:6 “And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved at heart.”

Nostrils and Mouth [Psalm 18:8, Num 12:8]
Psalm 18: 8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
Lips and Tongue [Isaiah 30:27]
 27Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:

So my friend, who told you, that you are an offspring of apes? You have been fearfully and wonderfully made. God set the process in motion when he made Adam and Eve. Begin to see yourself as special because God invested time in creating you. Psalm 139:13-15  reads

13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

 15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Today your responsibility is to make peace with your maker since Adam dragged everyone into sin and death by falling into sin in the Garden of Eden. God will come into your life and dwell in your heart and you become the temple of God carrying the image and likeness of God just like Adam with all his glory before sin. Ask God for forgiveness of your sins and invite Jesus into your heart. Thereafter, you need to keep yourself holy to retain the image and likeness of God. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

 

Prayer Nugget 0302

Salvation Prayer: Lord Jesus come into my heart. Be my Lord and Saviour.  I believe you died for me to reconcile me back to God. I ask for the clensing power in your precious blood to wash away all my sins. I make peace with you God. Thank you for being my Father. Thank you for accepting me into your family and making me a new creation in Jesus name. Old things are past away in my life in Jesus Name. Amen.

 Prayer of thanksgiving and consecration: Oh LORD I thank you for creating me in your image and likeness and granting me dominion over all your works on the earth. Thank you for giving me the breath of Life. Thank you for fashioning me very specially in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me complete: spirit, soul and body.  I ask for your mercy. Let me treasure every spiritual resource you have deposited in my life. I shall worship you in spirit and truth. Sin shall not have dominion over me in Jesus Name. Thank you for making my body your temple. Give me the Grace to keep it holy. Send your fire to the foundation of my life and destroy everything that draws or want to draw my heart away from you in Jesus Name. Amen.