RHEMA From Heaven

Sacrifice

1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ”.

The call to follow the Lord is a call unto sacrifice. No one can fully serve the Lord without this attitude or life of sacrifice. Apostle Peter said we are called to offer up spiritual “sacrifice”.

When it comes to sacrifice no better example can be cited more like that of Jesus. The Bible says he gave himself as a ransom for many. See 1 Timothy 2:5-6 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time”. Jesus left all his glory and dignity as God and Lord over all things just for the sake of man.

As Christians, we can’t travel any different way or take any other way. We must be ready to sacrifice at all times in our walk with God. Paul said in Philippians 3:7 that “what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” Peter and the rest of the disciples also said, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee” (Mark 10:28). Child of God, what can you also say?

What price have you paid for the furtherance of the gospel? What sacrifice have you made for the things of God? In fact, even if you did sacrifice, was it from a sincere heart or with a bitter heart?

Today, we have many Christians who can sacrifice for things that will benefit them and will never do same for the Lord- his kingdom and any local Church. How many don’t go the extra to get good jobs, better relationships, and fame but these same people won’t do same for the things of God.

In fact, we have people who can report to work or any other engagements very early but these same people will think it is too much when the Church requests that they make it to their meetings very early.

You see, Christianity is not about “me, myself and I”, because selfishness and self-interest will not make you sacrifice. What have you sacrificed for the Lord and what are you sacrificing because of the work of the Lord?

Remember that, you can sacrifice irrespective of your situation! You don’t have an excuse when it comes to sacrifice.

Read: Psalm 54:6 “I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord ; for it is good”

God wants you to be faithful

1 Corinthians 4:2 “In this case, moreover, it is required as essential and demanded of stewards, that one be found faithful and trustworthy.”

Stewards or people placed in a position of trust must prove themselves faithful. Nothing speaks volumes like an attitude of faithfulness in the discharge of any given mandate. As Christians we are stewards of God’s resources- grace, anointing, people, etc.

In fact, God has entrusted many things into our hands and He expects that we discharge our duty with a sense of urgency in all faithfulness. Being faithful must cut across every sphere of your life. For instance, you must be faithful in serving God. You must come to the place where you don’t only serve God when it is in your “convenience”. People who serve God this way will not do well when circumstances and situations don’t go in their favor.

When you are faithful, circumstances don’t influence what you do for God. You remain resolute to give God your best, live for Him and live to please Him at all times. Being faithful to God demands that whatever God has given you to do, you do it without wavering or slackness.

Today, our churches lack faithful Christians. We have people who are available but God can’t use them because they are not faithful. They only disappoint anytime things are entrusted into their hands.

Make it your aim that, despite what you go through in life, you will be a faithful Christian. A faithful Christian in your marriage, at your work place, in the ministry and any where you find yourself.

Read: Revelation 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

The ways of God

Psalm 103:7 “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel”

The ways of God and the ways of man are not the same. Isaiah 55:8-9 says “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts”. Thus, it takes receiving from the Lord, before you can know his ways.

One truth you must understand and believe as a Christian is that God can show you His ways. The Bible says He made known his ways to Moses in the days of old. In the new testament, the Bible says the Holy Spirit makes His ways known to us. John 16:13-14 says “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you“. You see, the Holy Spirit will lead you into the truth- the word and ways of God.

Just as the Holy Spirit is not limited to some selected few, same applies to knowing the ways of God. Nonetheless, you have to be born again to be a beneficiary of this blessing from God.

Don’t forget that in life, there are three ways you can follow. You can either go your own way, the way of other people; or the ways of God or the devil. One reason why many don’t follow the ways of God is because they go with their own ways, or the ways of others. But never sacrifice the ways of God revealed to you through the scriptures and by revelation from the Holy Spirit for anything.

You see knowing the ways of God means, to know the methods, procedures, processes and steps that the Lord uses in bringing to pass His will or counsel. This is what will take you away from playing religion and make you more spiritual and unpredictable – because that’s when you will fully live the life of the Spirit .

It’s one thing to know what God will do and another thing to know how he will do it. We have most often than not mastered knowing the “what” but not knowing the “how”. This is why many have missed great spiritual encounters.

Don’t only know what God wants to do, also desire to know how he will do it. Just like Moses knew the ways of God by having a deeper relationship with Him walk in this light and you will know the ways of God.

Read: John 16:15 “All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you“

Guard your heart

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart”

God deals with man based on the condition of his heart. Therefore if your heart is not right towards God it doesn’t matter how you appear before people or what you do, you will not earn his approval.

When we are talking about the heart, we are referring to the real you. When the Bible is talking about the heart, it is not referring to the biological heart that pumps blood to the other parts of the body. Your heart is your spirit. It is the condition of your spirit that men can hardly see.

The Bible talks about thoughts and intents of the heart. Thus, to keep a perfect heart, you must try as much as possible to align your thoughts and intents to the word of God. That is what Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life”.

It is your duty to keep or guard your heart and the Bible said, “do it with great effort”. Since your heart or spirit is of God, you guard it by feeding regularly on spiritual truths. You keep it by being consistent with God’s word. John 6:63 said “God’s word is life and spirit”.

The moment you feed on facts or any information that contradicts the truth of God’s word, you are breaking down the walls of security of your spirit. This is when the devil too can make an in – road into your life. Jesus once said “If you don’t doubt with your heart, you will have whatever you say”. So you see, your heart matters. It is the foundation for your success or failure. The well it is kept the better.

Always stay in sync with God’s word and you will flourish in life. Maintain a perfect HEART at all times. Bitterness, pride, envy, and all actions that affect the state of your heart won’t in any way serve your interest.

Read: Mark 7:21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders”

Avoid being selfish

Philippians 2:4 “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others”

The Amplified Bible put our opening text this way, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others”. Many problems in the world today is just a matter of selfishness. Looking at your own personal interest, without any consideration for other people only makes you mean and a user of people.

Selfishness can be considered as a “little fox” that destroys the whole vine (Songs of Solomon 2:15). Selfishness makes you act without consideration for other people. Do you only look at your interest in life? In your interactions with people, do you use them or value them?

Today, we have a lot of people who only complain about how people should treat them and handle them, but they never look at how they can also treat these same people from whom they demand some kind of favours or privileges.

What are you demanding from people? What expectations do you want people to discharge towards you?

The truth is that, whenever you are only concerned with your own personal profit and pleasure you are being selfish. Most people act out selfishness unknowingly. Over the years, I have learnt not to use people around me. As a Pastor, I try as much as possible to look at the needs of people around me, than to crave for some exceptional treatment or favours from them. Like Jesus, I find ways to serve, than to be served.

Beloved, do you do nice things for people or you rather want to receive nice things? Well, if the latter is the case then you are a selfish person. Philippians 2:3 says “do nothing out of SELFISH ambition...” The fact that you must be ambitious about your dreams and visions in life does not mean you must execute it to the detriment of others.

Never also use people as ladders to climb up and leave them down. Sometimes, selfishness may successfully launch you into your destiny, or get you what you want but will bring alongside many unbearable consequences.

Let other people matter. Be the person who have others at heart, treating them well, than putting onerous demands on them. This is the best way to avoid being selfish.

It shouldn’t be an issue of “me, myself and I”.

Remember, when it is always about you, you are simply selfish.

Read: Matthew 7:1 “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.”

People, your channel to the top or bottom.

1 Samuel 18:5 “And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants”

One of the important things you can get in life aside God is “people”. People here is used generically to either mean an individual or more. Many people have succeeded in life because of the people factor they handled well, whiles others too have failed because of the people factor they mishandled.

To say that your success in life is predominantly dependent on people is not a mystery. Lot needed Abraham to become wealthy, Noah’s daughters-in-law needed him to survive, Joseph needed Potiphar and Pharaoh to rise, Ruth needed Naomi, Saul needed Samuel, David needed Saul and Jonathan, Paul needed Barnabas, Timothy and Titus needed Paul, and on and on the list goes.

You see, the earlier you humbly admit your need of some persons in your life the better. It may be you mother, father, siblings, friend, or a spouse. Most people today have attained success in life because of some particular people they had in their life. This is why it is important to know and learn how to deal wisely with the people God give you access to.

Never take anything for granted when it comes to dealing wisely with people. Most often than not, many people miss this great opportunity to greatness. For instance an opportunity to serve a great man of God must not be taken lightly, an opportunity to be married by a staunch and industrious Christian must not be taken for granted, an opportunity to have a virtuous lady for a choice of marriage partner must not be taken for granted. Take it or leave it, these are major ways by which God brings most of your prayers into reality.

Your service to just one great and faithful man of God is what may open locked doors for you and your family. You being married to a serious and noble Christian is what can break any demonic cycle of marital challenges in your home. It is only ignorance and pride that make people say things like “me I DON’T need anybody”. Most people, and sadly some Christians have even been caught up in this lie. For David, he knew this truth. He received Saul as his God-sent man, and thus behaved wisely towards him.

You need somebody to make it in life. Because after your prayers, God will touch the hearts of people to bless you. The Bible says, woe is him that is alone (Ecclesiastes 4:10). Men are not God, but there are God-sent men into your life.

Your God – sent man is your somebody. John the Baptist was God-sent to Jesus (John 1:6). Jesus was also God – sent man to his disciples. Philip was the God – sent man to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26 – 39). Your God – sent men are HEAVENLY positioned in your life to bring the best out of you and to help you fulfil destiny. They bring a divine turn around to your life.

Pay heed to the HEAVENLY truth they share with you. Keep them, cherish them and do them good. I see you making it in life with your God – sent man in Jesus name.

Read: Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour”

Forget the things behind

Philippians 3:13 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before”

The call of God draws a line between our past and our present life. The past life was characterised by sin, whiles the new life is characterised by the righteousness and holiness from our Lord.

In Ephesians 4:18, the Bible describes the old life or the past life as having one’s understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through ignorance. Not only that, it is fully governed by selfishness and carnality. On the other hand, the salvation of God which comes by grace through faith sets us apart. It makes us noble and brings us dignity.

As a Christian, to move forward in life, you must let go of the past. In fact, you must not be driven by guilt or give yourself to the old sinful life. Focus on the new life, focus on the things ahead- the plans and purpose of God for your life.

The call of God is a high calling. Whether it is a call to serve in the ministry or a call to be in Christ, you need to let go of the past and flow with the new “life”, “vision” and “plans” that the Lord brings.

Read: Philippians 3:12 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me”

Salvation in the Name

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”

Life’s troubles and challenges can be many. Sometimes most of these troubles don’t even respond to natural remedies. For instance, there are people suffering from terminal illness and doctors have given up on them, some also have financial and marital challenges that have defiled logical and scientific solution. Nonetheless, all these challenges are not unsurmontable. There is a one- off solution for any problem or challenge that we face. The solution is the name of Jesus.

You see, as simple this truth sounds it is the word, and works. Proverbs 18:10 says “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe”. You can’t have the name of Jesus on your lips and be disappointed. The name will bring a miracle to you, the name will turn hopeless situations around for you. The Bible says, those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, delivered, healed, blessed, restored, made whole, elevated.

No matter what your case, the name has what it takes to bring a cure. In Mark 10, the Bible tells how blind Bartimæus, called on Jesus and he received his sight. Mark 10:51-52 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

Are you faced with daring situations in life? Are you gripped in the hold of sin? Do you need a miracle? Call on the name of the Lord

Read: Philippians 2:10 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth”

Be of good cheer

John 16:33 “These 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”

Despite the happenings and challenges of life, One of the things Christ admonishes us is to be of good cheer. In other words, never despair or be carried away into anxiety.

The word “cheer” means to shout for joy or in praise or encouragement. Other words used to describe the word cheer include, encourage, urge on, spur on, drive on, and motivate. Given this understanding of the word cheer alone is awesome. Now the Bible, says be of “good cheer”. Meaning that there is no cause of alarm no matter what you go through in life. Remember the words of Jesus “I have overcome the world”.

You see, the tribulations and trials in this life can’t undo what God can do for you and in your life. He is able to see you through the storms. Isaiah 43:2-3 says “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee”

You see, when God is with you any set back will surely become a set up for a come back. Like the declaration in Genesis 50:20, “whatever is meant for evil, will be turned into good“.

Another reason why, you must cheer up is because, when God is for you and with you, nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Read: Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (AMP).

THE FATHER’S WILL

Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord [that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives], for this is right [for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline]. HONOR [esteem, value as precious] YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER [and be respectful to them]-this is the first commandment with a promise- SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY HAVE A LONG LIFE ON THE EARTH” (AMP)

One of the highest blessings you can have is when everything goes well with you. However, for it to be well with you, it comes at the cost of obeying your parents. Like one author once wrote “The greatest blessing for sons is hidden in their obedience to their fathers”.

You see, for instance in large families, the sons or daughters who are very obedient to their parents turn out more blessed than those who are rebellious, independent and resistant. This general truth is something you will discover with time..

A story was told about a father who went shopping with his two sons. One of them constantly had a different opinion and always wanted something different; he didn’t like what his father liked. However, the reaction of the other son was very different. He would say, “Whatever you choose for me is okay. I like what you like for me. I want what you want for me.” Most people are like the son who always had a divergent view from his father. They never yield to the will of God, nor consider the guidance they receive from their biological and spiritual fathers.

You see, if you want to be blessed, become a son who wants what his father chooses for him. Christianity is based on this principle: The principle of submitting your will to the will of your Father, the principle of accepting the Father’s will instead of your own will. Do not be self-willed.

Be subject to your Father’s will like Jesus. You see, It is safer and easier to say, “Father, into thine hands do I commit my life.” Follow Jesus; He is the best example for us all.

Read: Hebrews 10:7 “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God“