Friday 27th February 2015 - Devotional

The fountain of Living Water - Jer 17:13
God lamented in Jer 2 that ''13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water''.
What does ''broken cisterns, that can hold no water'' mean ? You see, Isreal, at Jeremiah's time aligned with Egypt for deliverance from the King of babylon, instead of receiving help from Pharaoh, the Babylonians defeated both Egypt and Israel that sought help from them. God is the only giver and sustainer of life. Living water refers to life. Jesus called in John 7:37 ''If any man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink''. He gives life and gives it more abundantly.
To go after other interests and pursue them at the expense of quality time and interest in God amounts to forsaking God and hewing out Cisterns that are broken. Broken in the sense that they cannot provide you the pleasure, satisfaction and blessing that God only can give. Money is good to have for solving many life problems, but when money begins to control our thought actions that we have little or no time for God, it becomes an idol and cistern. God is ready and available to every genuine seeker. Draw near to me and I will draw near to you is His promise. You choose the proximity.
Questions
1. What are broken cisterns that can hold no water?
2. What are the ways we can draw near to God?
3. What are the two evils that God said Israel have committed?

Prayer
O Lord, create in me an new heart with a new desire and longing for you, your word and your ways. Deliver me from pursuing any interest at variance with you, deliver me from being an ex-prayer warrior, ex-witness, ex-zealous christian, etc. Save me from backsliding.

Wednessday 25th February 2015 - Devotional

Mind-Set that Guarantees Perfect Peace - Isaiah 26:3
Worries and anxiety are as a result of carefulness is the result of setting our hearts on problems and challenges rather than on God. If we trust God, we will rely on his promises. The word of God calms every raging sea of anxiety. The scriptures above reveals that perfect peace comes from God in response to mindset that hooks up to him. There are a lot to worry about in life if the God factor is neglected. There is nothing to bother about if our heart is stayed on God. A mind stayed on God is one that trusts him absolutely. Isaiah 30:15 '' For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.''. To the Philippians Paul counsels 4: 6 ''Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God''.
When we heed the instruction ''the peace of God shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus'' vs 7.


Questions
1. Why do many lack peace even when they are born again?
2. What will you do to always stay your mind on God?
3. How possible is it to be careful for nothing in this world that is full of challenges and crises?

Prayer
O God help me to guide my thoughts from straying from you and your word. Strengthen and resolve to make you the center of my thought and not problem. I receive your peace which passes all understanding in Jesus name.

Monday 23rd of February 2015 - Devotional

Born of God - 1 John 2:29
1 Jn 3: 9 ''Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God''. John says that the issue of character differentiates God's children from the devil (1Jn 3:10). As a natural man is born of the seed of the father (sperm) so also is the spiritual man of the seed of God (the word).
1 Peter 1:23 ''Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever''
1 Peter 1:25 ''But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you''. When the sower sows the seed of the word through the gospel, and one believes, repents and accepts Jesus as Lord, He or She becomes born of God. He gets water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism.

Questions
1. Is it possible to live a perfect (that is sinless) life here on earth?
2. He that is born of God does not commit sin (explain)
3. How does the issue of sin prove whose child one is ?

Prayer
Father I pray for the mighty release of power upon us to practice righteousness and resist sinning in Jesus name. Help us to allow your word to reign in our lives so we do not sin against you.

Thursday 19th February 2015 - Devotional

The Spirit's Standard - Isaiah 59:19
You will discover that the invasion of the enemies against the righteous is not conditional, it says ''when the enemies'' meaning that the enemies will surely come. But when they gather, they shall fall for your sake. When they come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord raises a banner of defense against them. Therefore do not engage yourself trying to defend against the enemy, God's spirit handles that. Engage yourself trying to develop intimacy with the Holy Spirit. But how does God protect his own by the spirit and the word, in verse 21 of Isaiah 59, ''As for me this is my covenant with them, saith the lord, my spirit that is upon thee, and my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever''. His promise  to save began from verse 1 where He like John the Baptist have to make the way straight by bringing down every mountain, exalting every valley, making every rough part smooth and every rugged part straight before we can see the glory or the salvation of the Lord. God's hand is not too short to save nor his ear hard to hear our call. Sin and iniquity separates between us and Him.

Questions
1. What do we do to access and be accessed by God for our help?
2. When the enemy comes in like a flood, how does God promise to defend us?
3. Can the flood of the enemy be strong enough to tear down God's standard, wall or banner of defence over us?

Prayer
O Lord God of a truth enemies abound, ''remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope'' Psm 119:49; Let thy word quicken me in Jesus name.

Wednessday 18th February 2015 - Devotional

Maintain Good Works - Titus 3:8
1. Maintaining good works is good and profitable
2. It is a faithful saying and must be constantly affirmed. Maintaining of good works is not optional but mandatory to every one who has received salvation by faith.
To the Ephesians church he told that salvation, though not of works nor by ourselves but an act of divine grace to be received by by faith, but that ''we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God ordained that we should walk in them'' - Eph 2:10
Therefore in Titus 2:14 ''Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works''
NB: That though salvation is never by never by good works but is proven by good works. The unbelievers have no capacity for enabling grace through the Holy Spirit given to indwell our spirit ''for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (that is good works)'' Phil 2:13.
You are therefore charged to ''work out your own salvation with fear and trembling'' vrs 12.

Question
1. After we are saved is it right to still confess sins since our sins have been taken away?
2. Should a believer continue to sin that grace may abound?
3. How can we maintain good works?

Monday 16th February 2015 - Devotional

Grace 2 - 2 Corinthians 6:1
According to Paul, we must cooperate with the grace of God by using the grace given to us faithfully and diligently. If you are given the grace to give for the work of the kingdom and you keep observing the weather and refusing to give, you have received the grace in vain (Eccl 11:4). The man that was given the talent and hid it in a napkin simply received the grace in vein and what happened to him will happen to all that fail to use the grace given to them of God - Mat 25:24-30
Examine yourself and be sure you bring out your God-given abilities for profitable life and service. Ananias and Sapphira received the grace in vein, they had the grace to give the proceed of their landed property as others but allowed the flesh to take the best of them and kept back some, pretending o have given all. Acts 5:1-6.
John mark (Acts 13:3) who was one of Paul's partners withdrew from the mission  and departed from them. He received the grace of God in vein.
Make a conscious effort today to put God's grace in full use and not use it in vein.

Questions
1. Which ways can you prove in your life to have received God's graced in vein?
2. What is the Grace of God in your Life?
3. Why was Paul able to labor more than the apostles before him?

Prayer
Ask never to allow God's grace fade out of your life, rather that you grow from grace to grace, serving in ever increasing grace. In Jesus name.

Saturday February 14th 2015 - Devotional

Grace 1- Titus 2:11,12
Grace has always been defined as unmerited favor, but its scope goes beyond that. It has more to do with abilities we do not have by ourselves but which God gives to us to do what we can't do by our own strength. The Greek word 'Charis' translated severally as grace is also from where 'gifts of the spirit' is translated. It refers to enablement by the Holy Spirit; so the scripture talks  of grace in 2Cor 9:8 ''Grace abounds toward you, so that... you will abound in every good work...''
Grace  to speak in love so as not to hurt people - Col 4:6; Grace to give 2Cor 8:7, etc.
In our text we discovered teaches (that is enables, informs and empowers) to deny ungodliness and worldly lust. It also has positive work, helping us to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, as we look forward to His coming.
Always bear in  mind that grace does not in any way mean living licentious, sinful life and putting the sin under the blood, No:
Titus 2:14 made it clear that salvation is from sin and all iniquity and purifies us unto God, giving us the burning desire to do good works.

Questions
1. Can one who has received grace fall into sin?
2. Can one saved by grace practice sinful living?
3. What happens when we sin after receiving salvation by grace? Psalm 19:7

Prayer
Dear Lord, never allow the devil to deceive me into living carelessly through misunderstanding of the true biblical grace, help  me yield to the power of the indwelling spirit to work out the salvation he is graciously working in my heart. May i not receive the grace of God in vein.

Pst Emma Igwe

Grace; The Qualification of the Unqualified

Have you ever considered the fact that God made his choice and loved Jacob from the womb? In Joshua 24:1-4 He clearly stated that He settled Esau by giving Him the mountains but surprisingly the Jacob He loved was sent on exile into slavery for 400years. Sometimes it looks like God is settling others but neglecting you whom He loves but the truth still remains that you are His choice and that's what really matters. Though Jacob went through trials the fact still remains that He was God's choice. God identified himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He is the mighty on of Jacob(Israel) not Esau. So don't ever judge yourself by your present circumstances, don't draw conclusions yet, you are God's choice and He knows what to do with his Choice.
Just TRUST HIM....
By Funmi Chris.....

Wake up the Giant in You - 1 John 4:4
In Col 1:27, we learn that ''Christ in you, the hope of glory''; the one that overcame the devil lives in you, so don't be deceived by the fragility of your stature, you are many times stronger inside that outside. Outside is flesh and blood but inside you is a Lion, a giant and a dynamo. It pleased God to put this treasure in earthen vessels but the excellency of the power is His - 2 Cor 4:7.
You are not an ordinary man, you are a God indwelt being. You have same power that Jesus had when he walked on earth.
According to Micah 5:8,9(check); It is obvious that God wired you to overcome. When the Holy ghost baptism took place in your life, you were transformed into god. Don't short-change yourself. Wake-up the giant in you. No one can do that for you. Stop pitying yourself when heaven is celebrating you. Jesus rebuked the disciples for not using their faith. When we wait on the Lord our faith is renewed. Our strength is renewed,  our perception is renewed. Stop looking down on yourself because God never made weaklings.
It is time to rise up and fight the adversaries; to put them where they belong which is under our feet. I see you on the vioctory side.

Question
1. How can we face and defeat the adversaries that seems more powerful that we see ourselves?
2. Why were majority of Israelites unable to overcome their enemies in the wilderness?
3. How can you submit to God and resist the enemies and put them to flight?

Prayer
Father, I rise with the shield of faith and put to flight the armies of aliens in Jesus name, I submit to you, trust your word and command the fire of the enemies to be quenched in Jesus name. Thanks for making me a winner always.

Saturday February 7th 2015 - Devotional

Access and Possess - Joshua 1:3
In Deut 11:24 that the Lord gave Moses same promise, ''24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours....''
In the same manner God repeated His promise to Abraham to Isaac, Jacob and to their children. When He promised the twelve Apostles power in Luke 9:1 ''Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases'', this promise is yours by extension if only you choose to access it by faith - Mark 16:17. Everything promised the disciples can be accessed by us today because we are equally sent. Good health, wealth, peace, protection are ours if only we can see it, place our feet on it and accept it by faith. Identify the promise, believe, accept, access by faith and possess it. It is your position in the kingdom. No one has the monopoly of God and His blessings, it belongs to his children. Don't seat aloof , step out in faith to your inheritance as Joshua did.
Joshua 3: 1 ''And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over''


Questions
1. How can you access your inheritance?
2. With the wonderful promises, would Joshua have been able to posses them without moving to Shittim?
3. What is Shittim in your life holding you from your destiny?

Prayer
I decree that everything that constitute Shittim in your walk be set aside in Jesus name and strength be given to you to move to your possession. My Father, i am determined to step out and access my possession this season, help me in Jesus name. Remove every natural, spiritual and internal obstacles on my way in Jesus name.

Friday February 6th 2015 - Devotional

FEAR NOT 2 - JOSHUA 1:9
While fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by  the sense of danger or pain, courage is a virtue developed through the word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit in us.
Courage is not the absence of fear but mastery of fear. It is said that about 365 times in the scripture the instruction ''fear not'' is given to strengthen believers heart each day.
Fear opens the door for the enemy to attack us while faith opens the door for God's spirit to help us. Therefore, fear not.
Prov 29:25 ''The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe''
Fear is a spirit and God has not given us the spirit of fear...2Tim 1:7
Faith is also a spirit 2Cor 4: 13  ''We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak''.

Questions
1. What is the source of the spirit of fear?
2. Where does the spirit of faith come from and how can we receive more and more of it?
3. In Phil 4:6 we are admonished not to give room to anxiety or worrying which is the fear of the unknown, what antidote was recommended?

Prayers
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant grace to overcome the spirit of fear. I renounce every spirit of fear in my life in Jesus name. I reject every spirit of fear and i invite the spirit of faith to displace it in Jesus name. Thank You Lord Jesus for filling my heart with courage. Amen.

Thursday February 5th 2015 - Devotional

FEAR NOT 1 - Deut 20:1-4
Effects of fear: Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm. It is an anxiety caused by an approaching danger. We are courageous at all times and give no place to fear which has a paralyzing effect. Courage is the ability to control and manage fear.
1. Fear is contagious - vs 8 ''And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart''
2. Fear is tormenting - 1Jn 4:8
3. Fear is demoralizing - 1 Sam 13:5
4. Fear hinders from effective service - Jn 12:42

Questions
1. Are you mastering your fear or is your fear still ruling your life?
2. What ways have you decided to fight you fears?
3. What are the fears that you are dealing with?
4. Why must you build up courage and overcome fears?
Prayers
Dear father, You ave promised never to leave or forsake me, therefore i declare that You are my helper; fight against my enemies as You promised and save me in Jesus' name

Wednessday February 4th 2015 - Devotional

Pleasing God with your Giving - Heb 11:5
Enoch pleased God with his life. What he did to please God was not particularly stated except that he walked with God. vs 22;24.
One of the way to please God is by giving; giving what? The first thing God looks for in our giving is 'ourselves'. In 2Cor 8:5 Paul impressed with the giving of the Macedonians...''but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God''.
Until you've given yourself to God, your money, time, service, songs, etc., means little to Him.
The first record of giving to God in Gen 4..''And God had respect (i.e. accepted and received) unto Abel and His offering''....'' But unto Cain and to His offering he had no respect''. Note that Abel and Cain were distinguished from their offering and the attention was first on them before what they had to offer. This is a very serious issue of the Kingdom.
Questions
1. Have you totally and wholly given yourself to God?
2. Why is our offering of things, time and services, singing, dancing, etc., secondary?
3. For Enoch to have pleased God, he must have given so much of ?
(a) Money (b) Songs (c) dancing (d) himself.
Prayer
O God, I give you my life, my heart, my whole being, i keep nothing from you. Help me to live a totally surrendered life so that my other services will be pleasing to you, born from a heart completely given to you.
As Jesus lived in the principle that ''all mine are thine, and thine are mine''-1Jn 17:10, I chose the same principle of life, Help me Lord in Jesus Name.
Pastor Emmanuel Igwe

Tuesday 3rd Feb 2015 - Devotional

Simple Life-Style - Heb 13:5,6
We need a less complicated life that places much demand on our mind, money and invariably our spirit. Contentment added to our godliness is great gain - 1Tim 6:6. ''Having food and raiment let us be there with content'' vs 8.
When we choose a simple, humble and peaceful lifestyle we live a better life than millionaires who are never satisfied with making money.
This life-style is powered by faith in God's promises never to leave or forsake us. Be rest assured that since God is on our side, no man can do us harm.

Questions
1. What does contentment mean to you?
2. How do i know my life is free from love of money?
3. What happens to your heart when money is not readily available?
Prayer
O Lord my i never be controlled by material wealth but rather by the Holy Spirit and Your word. Make me a master over the things of Life, don't let them control or influence my joy. Thank you Lord for promises to supply my needs according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Sunday February 1st 2015 - Devotional

Sunday Morning Victory - Luke 24:1-6
Jesus died, Jesus was buried; Jesus rose from the dead. This is the Gospel preach by the Apostle (1 Cor 5:3-5) and this the gospel we preach today. We preach Jesus ''who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel'' - 2 Tim 1:10.
That faithful early Sunday morning Jesus Christ gave a technical knock out to man's greatest enemy namely sin and death.
'' the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks to God who giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ'' - 1 Cor 15:56,57.
''Therefore my beloved brethren be strong, unmovable always abounding in the works of the Lord, foreasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord'' - 1 Cor 15:58.

Questions
1. Should the believer be afraid of death?
2. What 3 aspects of Christ's experiences forms the Gospel?
- Read Heb 2:14,15 and compare with above.

Prayer
That God by the spirit revealed to you the depth of victory over death and ''Him that had the power of death that is the devil'', so that you will be forever free from the fear of death that you never be subject to its bondage anymore in Jesus name.
Pray that more abundant grace be released and the gift of righteousness be evidenced in your life so you reign in life by Christ Jesus. Rom 5:17