RHEMA From Heaven

It matters what you hear. But more especially, how you also pay attention to what you hear.
Most people have heard the truth that can change their life but they have not benefited from it because they heard it casually.
For God’s word to turn things around for good in your life, you must pay attention to the word.

In Mark 4, Jesus spoke about the parable of the sower and went on further to explain it to his disciples, but he concluded his discourse or teachings with a caution to his hearers. He told them to pay attention to what they have heard.

You see, paying attention to the word of God, or the truth is the entrance to receiving understanding and wisdom from the Lord.
Anytime you pay attention, you align your faculties to grasp something and watch out for details.

You see, most people are shallow in their faith and conviction, because they don’t pay attention to the word of God. They listen to serious things causally. No wonder most people end up as casualties of demonic onslaught.

Be a Christian that will pay attention to the truth of God’s word. Listen to the word, and study the word with great attention.
This is how you can get truths to easily settle in your heart and also build a rugged faith.

Read: Proverbs 4:1 “Hear, O children, the instruction of a father, And pay attention [and be willing to learn] so that you may gain understanding and intelligent discernment.”

My Prayer: Lord, I pray against anything that distracts me when the truth of your word is ministered to me. Amen

As Christians, God expects that our lives must be characterised with results. This is what fruit bearing is all about.

God expects that our union with Christ must make us more fruitful. Thus, after salvation, our growth in the Lord must come with “much fruit”.
People must see, that your life is producing better things or virtues as Christian. The preceding verses in John 15 shows some of the fruits as love for God, love for people, and obedience ( John 15:9-13).

But just as a branch must be connected to the entire tree to benefit from nutrients that must make it fruitful, the believer must also be likewise connected to the Lord, throughout the different phases of life to keep being fruitful.

Never become or stay a Christian without having much fruit or results in life. Your deeds, or fruits or results is what will reveal your identity.
Jesus said “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16)

You see, being unfruitful as a Christian won’t serve your interest. The Bible reveals that, fruitless people with time may be cut off.
Luke 13:7 says “So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’”

Beloved, God has invested so much in you that you can’t choose to remain unfruitful. You must bear fruit at all cost. Know that your life as Christian can only influence and impart others when you bear much fruit.
Don’t remain a Christian with nothing to show for it.

Read: Colossians 1:10
“so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to continually abide in you and to bear much fruit in life. Amen

Living for a purpose makes you daring and an accomplisher in life. Folks who live for a purpose have a knowledge about their mandate in life. In fact they know who they are and who they are not.

You see, knowing why you are here on earth makes you different from any other person. Being purpose driven that you can do what is expected of you by the Lord.

Our opening text reveals how Jesus kept his gaze or focus on his purpose while on earth. In fact, He was purpose bound that he could not but to proclaim it.
He knew why he was on earth. His purpose was clear to him, that nothing could derail him from it. Not even pain or adversity.

On another occasion he told the disciples “For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost”. Meaning that from his birth up to the time he gave up his life to save humanity, Jesus was glued to His mission. He never swayed off his assignment. Not even the persecutions or the accusations he experienced hindered him.

As a Christian, this is the mentality and attitude God wants you to live with. Know your purpose and pursue it in spite of any challenges that may show up.

You see, life is not and must not be a funfair to you. One preacher once said, “It is either you are on earth for a mission or an excursion ”.

Know that until you live for a reason you are just existing but not living. Living for a reason will cause you to do something for your generation. Living for a reason will make you particular in life, and it will make you responsible in life.

Read: Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to live out my purpose despite any challenges I may experience

The Lord’s coming is one great event or happenings that every serious Christian must anticipate and prepare for.

Although the Bible teaches that no one knows or can tell the hour of the Lord’s coming, we are encouraged from The Word to keep ourselves pure in waiting for this great coming (1 John 3:2-3).

You see, these last days that precedes the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will be characterised with perilous times. It will be full of challenges, difficulties and tribulations.These are the days when evil and sin will grow, and people shall be vile and perverse.

You see, lack of knowledge in these times will cause many good Christians to fail the test of time.
Thus, it is very important for every believer to be vigilant, sober and watchful during these days. You must never allow the devil’s schemes to influence you.

As a believer stand ready and be genuine in in your walk with God despite all these challenges.
Be led by the Spirit to discern good from bad.
Constantly pray for the Lord to open your eyes of understanding and give you the spirit of revelation. 1 Peter 4:7 says “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray”.

Keep watching and stay true to the call of God always. This is how to qualify for rapture at the Lord’s coming.

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:6 “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober”

Prayer: Father, I pray for grace to stay alert for your coming in these last days. Amen

Our call as Christians is a call to pursue the interest of others and not only our interest. Until you are able to pursue the interest of others, you are not yet perfected in love. Anytime you walk in love, you are able to put the needs and interest of others before yours.

Philippians 2:3-4 says “Don’t act out of selfish ambition or be conceited. Instead, humbly think of others as being better than yourselves. Don’t be concerned only about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others”.

As a Christian you are not supposed to be selfish or to be concerned with only your interest. Other persons must also count in your quest to making it in life.

When you think about others, you will definitely treat people well. Thus, you won’t bring people down or hurt people because of your desire to succeed. Also, you won’t use anyone as a means to an end.

The Message Bible puts Philippians 2:3-4 as “Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand”.

Remember that, self-interest or selfishness is the nature of the devil. This is what led to the devil’s fall.
See the account of Lucifer’s self-interest. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14). The devil, or Lucifer never considered anyone’s interest. He was full of himself and acted out his interest to the detriment of everyone. But dare to be different.

Know that if you can’t stand for the interest of others or even help others to make it, your pursuit in life is selfish –driven.
Think about others, and be a blessing to the world and not a pain or a trouble.

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:33 “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved”.

Prayer: Lord, grant me grace to put the interest of others first. Amen

Humility is one virtue that we must demonstrate before God and man.
It is a life, that we must live and grow in daily.

Our opening text teaches one area where we must exhibit humillity. It says we must by humility accept God’s word. This means that, without a humble heart and life, one can hardly accept truth revealed in God’s word and taught.

When God’s word is taught, preached or studied, it most often reveals flaws and wrong mindset people might have relied on for years. Thus, to rid oneself on these erroneous thinking pattern or mindset, it takes humility.

It takes humility to admit and accept, the Bible as God’s word. It takes humility to adjust your life to align with God’s word. It takes humility to accept a rebuke or a correction from God’s word.

You see, your attitude towards God’s word reveals how humble you are. Many people have never benefited from the truth made known to them in God’s word because of pride. The life of pride and arrogance has made most people prejudiced and bias towards TRUTH in the bible.

Don’t hold on to wrong opinions in the face of TRUTH from God’s word, this is pride.

Read: Psalm 25:9 “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to humbly receive your word at anytime.

The mind is one of the fierce battle grounds that will and shall ever exist. No other battle ground in this life can be compared with the mind.
Interestingly the fight in the mind is not with guns, grenades, war planes or nuclear weapons but with the devil himself. It is a fight with the ideas and the suggestions from the devil.

Every Christian is automatically engaged in this mind- battle. Success in this fight solely depends on how you allow God’s word to dominate your mind.
One key fact to know in this fight is that, the devil will attack you with every wrong thing he once influenced you to do when you were not saved. He will lure you with that through suggestions, ideas and philosophies. This has always been his weapon.

But as you journey in the course of life, set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). Never allow any negative doctrine, ideas or suggestions to dwell in your mind. Yes, although these thoughts will come, never dwell on them. Use God’s word to phase them out of your mind as and when they appear.

Remember that, anything that gains power over your mind will finally control your life.
This is why you must not entertain negative thoughts, never say it is nothing. Many have shipwrecked their lives because of not fighting well the battle in their mind.

Read: Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”

Prayer: Lord, I pray that your word will dominate my mind against any demonic influences. Amen

One opportunity that everyone will get in life is the opportunity to meet people and have some form of “relationship” with them.
Although these relationships are important their longevity is not guaranteed by default.

Building any relationship to last a life time is great work. Thus, keeping the people that God most of the times brings your way demands dedication. You need dedication not just to the person, but to some “major principles” or keys on which relationship thrives.

The success of any relationship whether in the family, the Church, the work place or any human institution is dependent on how we apply the following keys.

The first key we will consider is Love. For any relationship to last a life time, it must be built on love. This is the principle we see from our opening scripture. Jonathan loved David selflessly against all odds. Jonathan never saw David as a threat to his success. He put David first.
You see, when love is in operation, you will always put the interest of others before yours. This selfless virtue makes any form of relationship with people last into the future.

The second key is Respect. Respect makes you appreciate and take into account the views of others. Respect therefore prevents you from dishonoring or treating people anyhow.

The third is being trustworthy. You see, relationships will only profit you to the fullest when the element of trustworthiness is established. Being trustworthy here means making yourself dependable in every situation to the very best of your ability. Trustworthy people never dissapoint in times of trials. (Psalm 15:4)

These wisdom keys when applied will cause most relationships to last for a lifetime.

Read: Ecclesiastes 4:10 “For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the relationships you have blessed me with, grant me the grace to handle any relationship with these keys.

One major thing that characterizes life is the art of copying or imitation.
In fact, everyone of us will either imitate or copy someone or something in life. Nonetheless, this calls for careful scrutiny.

You see, as a Christian you have a duty to imitate that which is good. Irrespective of what people will say, you must stand your ground to copy something or someone who is godly, and with a virtuous life.

You must never succumb to the negative exposures you will see in life. Imitating what is good means that you are copying something of a godly character, something that shows uprightness and is consistent with the word of God.

This divine demand on you as a Christian means that, you just can’t follow anything. You must use God’s word as a guide and the voice of the Holy Spirit in you to know what to copy and what not to copy.

This also means that one must break up from friendships and associations that does not allow you to copy or imitate what is good.

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ”.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace and wisdom to copy what’s good in life. Amen

Giving is an important aspect of our Christian walk. It is a ministry that when we become serious with has the power to bless us and the entire body of Christ. Acts 20: 35 says “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive”.

In writing to the Church of Corinth, the Apostle Paul encouraged them to abound in the grace of giving just as they have abounded in other virtues like faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence, and love. “But since you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love, we have kindled in you –see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Corinthians 8:7).

Know that your giving is a vehicle through which many great things can be accomplished in the body of Christ. But the truth is that today’s Church is in a great financial need because many people have not committed themselves fully to the ministry of giving. In some places, believers must be compelled and persuaded with many enticing words before they will try to give a dime to support God’s work.

Remember that, by giving to support God’s work, you are laying up treasures for yourself in Heaven and partnering the course of the gospel that would bless many lives and above all bring salvation to many in our world today. Don’t see your offerings, tithes, and other financial support you give as a mere religious activity or ritual. See it as a means of partnering God’s course. See it as your token of love for God.

Read: Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again”

Prayer: Lord, help me to abound in the grace to give to support your Church. Amen