RHEMA From Heaven

Obedience simply means compliance with an order, instruction, request, or law. It also means submission to another’s authority or will. 

When it comes to obedience, you can obey easily when the person to whom you must submit is around or has a direct supervisory role over you. Instances where you must obey an order or instruction of someone who is not physically present or directly going to oversee you is when your obedience is really tested.

Most people may pass the first test of obedience where they must obey an instruction from a leader, master, or a supervisor who is physically present. The second situation where the instructor is absent may be a challenge and only few can pass. Nonetheless, the Bible is admonishing us to be obedient in all situations. 

You see, you must not wait for the person to whom you must obey to be present before you do that. That may equally be eye service. Nurture yourself beyond this level of attitude. 

As a Christian, you must be disciplined enough, responsible enough, and wise enough to take heed to instructions, orders, and commands irrespective of the presence of your instructor. 

For instance, you don’t need your pastor to mount a surveillance on you before you live right, neither do you need your parents to monitor your going out and your coming in before you do what is right. 

Learn to be obedient. Irrespective of what the situation may be like. That’s how to make progress in your endeavors.

Read: John 14:24, “Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

Prayer: Father, I pray that my obedience to you and your will, will not only be effective under supervision. I declare that wherever I find myself, with or without supervision I will remain obedient. In Jesus name, Amen!

Life puts everyone on an adventure. Everyone is in pursuit of one thing or the other. This fact notwithstanding, we must not forget what God expects of us as Christians. God does not want us to be selfish.  To be selfish means to lack consideration for others; or to be concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure. 

Other words that describe what it means to be selfish includes, self-centeredness, inconsiderate, thoughtlessness, uncaring, unmindful, insensitive, unkind and greediness. 

Beloved remember that in the pursuit of our dreams and plans, one caution remains- “No Selfishness”. In other words, you shouldn’t do anything using “selfishness” or never be driven by it. 

You see, although man may not see the motive or reason why you get involved in something or why you do what you do, it is never a mystery to God. When you are selfish, you know it and God also knows it. In fact, in the end, people will also know that you have acted in selfishness.  

Anytime you give in to selfishness, you will become inconsiderate and insensitive to people around you. It will make you focus on what will only benefit you from people without considering the ill impacts it will have on them.

Be motivated by love to do things in life and not selfishness.

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:24, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others”.

Prayer: Father, I pray for grace not to live in selfishness when dealing with people. May I never be thoughtless when dealing with people. In Jesus name, Amen!

No virtue speaks volume when it comes to being a Christian like love. Love is what brought us back to the Lord and it is by love we are still accepted in Christ.  John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. Lamentations 3:23 also says “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail”. 

As Christians, we have no excuse for not walking in love. Love, I mean, the Godkind of love must dominate our hearts and minds. This is God’s commandment to us in the new life. James calls this commandment to walk in love “the royal law”. James 2:8 says, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well”

When it comes to walking in love, the standard, and the practice of it is non-negotiable. God wants every born-again Christian to walk in love without any reservation. Thus, we must have the same love towards one another. In John, Jesus admonished the disciples to follow his example in love. John 15:12 says “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you”. Beloved, how did God love you? Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us”

You see, Jesus wants you to love like he did. Having the same love as Jesus means that, his love life must be revealed in your life each and everyday. Thus, like Jesus, you must forgive those who wrong you, give to those in need, and preach the gospel to the unsaved.

Remember that, to the Christian, living is walking in love.

Read: Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour”

Prayer: Father, I pray that the same love with which you have loved I will also extend it to others. In Jesus name, Amen!

To be like-minded has to do with having the same or similar mind with someone. This will include values, beliefs, principles, likes, dislikes, passion, commitments, etc.

Our opening text reveals God’s purpose for the body of Christ which is “oneness”. Oneness in purpose and in pursuit. In John 10:30 Jesus made one of the remarkable statements of all time to his generation. He said, “I and my Father are one”. In John 5:17, He also said, “My Father has been working until now [He has never ceased working], and I too am working.”. These verses show the like mindedness between the father and the son. This same principle must be the characteristics of those of us in Christ Jesus. 

Therefore, as Christians, God expects us to be like-minded. We must try as much as possible to have the same mind. We must all believe the word, we must all subscribe to godly living, we must all exercise our faith, we must all be given to prayer, and we must all apply the truth of God’s word in our lives daily. This is what like-mindedness means. Thus, it won’t be a strange thing if someone gives himself or herself fully to the Lord, and it won’t be a strange thing when someone is living in holiness and standing against the worldly standards that currently promotes LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) activities, sexual immorality, masturbation, orgies, and the like.

When Christians become like minded, we can uphold firmly the things that are most surely believed amongst us without wavering (Luke 1:1). That’s why the Lord is admonishing us to come to a place of maturity and to be firm in our minds with regards to the truth (Ephesians 4:11-14). Our like mindedness will enhance the unity and the commitment to any given task by the Lord.

So you see, whether living for the Lord, or working for the Lord. It is all a matter of mindset. In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul lamented the absence of like-minded people in his team. Philippians 2:20-21 says “For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”

You see, as you study God’s word and give yourself to divine instruction and training, it must create a certain mind-set in you. You must have a mind-set not to become worldly, you must have a mind-set to serve God in all situations, you must have a mind-set to work for the Lord, and many more. This transformed mind is what can make you like-minded with other believers.

Don’t be a Christian and hold a derogatory view about living for the Lord in total consecration and working for God. You must have the same mind of Christ. You must be like-minded with Jesus. In other words, your purpose and pursuits must align to that of the Lord.

Don’t be a strange person in the body of Christ.

Read: Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”

Prayer: Lord, I pray that as I meditate on your word, my mind is transformed to align to your plans and purposes. In Jesus name, Amen!

Honouring fathers is a commandment. Therefore, we can’t treat that as a suggestion to decide whether to do it or not. The commandment to honour fathers is a unique thing in that, it is the first commandment with a promise: long life

When we are talking about fathers, one can have a relay of fathers, a relay of fathers means you will have people in your life who will complement the work of your biological father

You see, inasmuch as every individual will have one biological father, God also allows other people into your life that will help you grow holistically, that is spirit, soul and body.

One of the fathers God will bring your way is a father in Christ. This is the one that God will use to bring you to the knowledge of his son. In other words, this is the one that will bring you into the saving knowledge of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 4:15, the Apostle Paul made known to the Corinthians that he has become a father in Christ to them because he has brought them to the saving knowledge of Christ.

Aside a father in Christ, God will also give you a spiritual father, or someone who will train you in the things of God. This is someone who will give you basic instructions concerning the new life and take upon himself the responsibility to train you. They become shepherds that disciple us for as long as we yield to them. All these persons, generically referred to as “fathers” or people who bring forth something into existence in your life must be honoured. 

You see, irrespective of how you will see it, their work is to train you to become the person that God wants you to be.

In honouring fathers, you respect them, obey them, serve them, never speak lightly of them and show gratitude in your dealings with them.

Read Proverbs 15:5,“A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the grace to honour the fathers you have given to me in this life. Lord help me to honour my biological father, Lord help me to also honour my fathers with respect in the faith In Jesus name.

There are different ways by which we can pray. You can pray with and in the spirit, and you can pray with your understanding. 1 Corinthians 14:15 says “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.”

In praying with your spirit, and in the spirit, you allow yourself to be fully influenced by the Holy Spirit to make utterances by the will of God. This may sometimes be in groanings, or syllables that is unusual (tongues). 

Praying with your understanding is also praying with your intuition or praying with your mind fully dominating in the process. Although, both ways of praying can be engaged, the Bible encourages that, the believer prays on all occasions in the spirit. 

Praying on all occasions means, praying daily, constantly, and consistently. That will also mean that, you must allow yourself to be influenced and led by the Holy Spirit to pray. This will help you pray about things unknown to your mind, or soul but revealed by the Holy Spirit into your spirit. Praying in the spirit is a mystery. It deals with many unforeseen things that pertains to your life and also ministers in a special way to the Lord (1 Corinthians 14:14-18).

Finally, looking at the preceding verses, that is “Ephesians 6:10-17”, before the instruction “pray in the spirit”, it means that praying in the spirit is one antidote against satanic and any demonic activity. Stand strong in your faith and always pray in the spirit.

Read: Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”.

Prayer: Lord, as I pray in the spirit, let your divine counsel be established in my life, and let every evil determined against me not hold. In Jesus name, Amen!

The New Living Translation says, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone”. The English Standard Version says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all”. The Berean Study Bible says, “If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

Living in peace with people depends on you. YOU are a key factor in making sure that whatever God requires of you is done. Most often than not, the reason why people fail in life, or never achieve God’s purpose for their lives is because of shifting responsibility or playing the blame game. So instead of doing what the word says, they put it under condition with respect to what others are doing or will do towards them. 

Sometimes what God wants you to do is independent of what others may do or think. For instance, when it comes to letting peace and unity prevail, God’s word says, as far as it depends on you, play your part, do what is expected of you. Don’t look at what someone is doing or not doing. 

Many people have lost out on this great truth. They live as though nothing depends on them. Well, the truth is that, happy relationship, marriage, work, and church relations, etc, depends on you. Don’t go expecting it from anyone. Do what you have to do, without murmuring and God’s blessings will manifest.

Don’t forget that, in any given situation you can’t control everything, but you can control how you act, react, and do things. With this truth in mind, you will always know that “you” determine whether you will go up or down.

Read: Romans 14:19, “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another”.

Prayer: Father, I pray that I will always stretch myself to living in peace with all men. In Jesus name, Amen!

The Message Bible renders our opening text like this “Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality”. Helping people in need especially, Christians is a divine instruction. As a Christian, you must go beyond looking at your own interest and consider others. In fact, OTHERS must feature in your daily decisions. 1 Corinthians 10:24 says “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others”. (NIV)

You see, meeting the needs of the under privileged or the less privilege doesn’t come automatically. Sometimes you must be on the watch out for those in genuine need. You must also allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit to see the people in need around you.

Today, our churches are full of people in need due to the challenges that the devil has engulfed our world with. Some need healing, some are in need of salvation, some are in need of food, some are in need if clothing, some need accommodation, some need jobs, etc. The needs are countless. 

Holistically we can put all these needs into categories like spiritual needs, social needs, emotional needs, and financialneeds. 

God’s charge to us is to share with anyone who may have a need in any of these areas. It is important to note that when it comes to sharing with people in need, you don’t only do it when you have excess. The little you have can be a blessing. 

So never wait to be “self-sufficient”. Do good as and when you have the ability.

Read: Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (NIV).

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the grace to share and not be a selfish individual. In Jesus name, Amen!

Hope is an important element in our walk with God and in life. Casting off hope is a recipe for disaster. You need to be in hope to move on in life. 

Romans 12:12 says “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”. One version, says “be cheerfully expectant…”. In the exercise of hope, the Bible says it must be done joyfully. That is to say, your hope won’t help that much when it is characterised with complaints, nagging and in sadness. 

Thus, if you are expectant of something turning out positive in your life, you must develop a positive attitude in the process. Your hope must be characterised with thanksgiving and praise to God. 

There is no need to be moody or depressed when you are in hope. The Bible says, God is a God of hope. Thus, He will never disappoint his children who turn to him in hope. Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises” (AMP). 

Never be in despair when things don’t turn out the way you expect. Keep your hope alive. Your hope will enhance your faith and it will bring a better outcome.

Read: Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us”.

Prayer: Lord thank you for another day. I am full of hope. I shall not give up for I know my redeemer lives. Hallelujah!

Everyone on earth today will be faced with the option of eternal destinations. It can be heaven or hell. Whichever place you want to go will be determined by how you prepare in this life.

Preparing for heaven involves living by the word or putting to death the activities of the flesh. Colossians 3:5-6 says “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience”

Preparing for hell also involves rejecting Christ as saviour and living in sin. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” 

You see, man’s life on earth is transient. It is a journey. No one will be here forever. Some will sleep in the Lord and others too will die (because they didn’t know the Lord), whatever the case may be, man will leave this world. 

How you lived in this world, what you believed in, and what you gave your life to will determine whether you will be in heaven or hell.

Know that you can’t live anyhow and expect to land in heaven. You must repent of your sins and accept Jesus as you SAVIOUR and MASTER. This is the way to prepare for eternity with the Lord. 

Beloved, get serious with this truth. Live for the Lord, be godly and actively be about the Lord’s business. This is how to get ready for eternity. 

Read: 1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Prayer: Father, I pray that I will daily prepare my spirit, soul and body for heaven. In Jesus name, Amen!