RHEMA From Heaven

God is a rewarder and one of the things he rewards is persistence. Your ability to stand your ground in your believes and principles as a child of God is a great virtue that God does not overlook.

1 Corinthians 15:58 says
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord”.

This scripture gives a picture of what persistence is. Because persistence is the quality that allows someone to continue doing something something even though it is difficult or is being faced with opposition.

The virtue of persistence is important to the believer because, the Christian faith and walk is a journey that has many huddles and twist which can easily cause you to go back from the faith.

You see, you must make up your mind not to give up half way. Don’t quit or surrender. You must learn to carry a ‘no retreat no surrender’ mentality.
Continue till you see the reward of your labour.

Be persistent in prayer, in hope, in giving, in loving, and your service to God.

Read: Hebrews 10:23
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised”.

Study: Luke 11:5-1

Every work comes with a reward, be it a physical remuneration in the form of wages and salary or spiritual blessings such as health, wealth, favor, etc. Regrettably, not many people are working to secure their eternal salvation.

But Jesus tells us in John 6:27 that,
“Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures [and leads] to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you; for God the Father has authorized Him and put His seal on Him.”

Listen, serving God for the wrong reason or personal gain is working for the food that perishes. Surely, you might receive that which you seek but would also loose the most important thing, the food that leads to eternal life,which is Jesus himself.

You see, it is possible you can be doing the right work for God with the wrong reason. It is also possible to want to be a Christian for the wrong reason. This is a growing trend in this generation where people’s view of God is that he’s a “shopping mall”. Thus, people only come to God because of their needs and not because of a genuine love for Him nor his work.

In fact, some people only remain Christians so long as their needs are satisfied by God. When things don’t go well, they immediately take the exit door.

From today, let Christ be your only focus for living, and working for the God.

Read: Matthew 15:8
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me”.

Study: John 6:23-40

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3 ).
Walking with God demands that you believe Him. It is in believing God that you will see awesome manifestations in your life.

Any time you walk with God at the “believing level” or by faith, doubts and fears fade out. When God made a promise to Abram that he will be blessed and become a father of many nations, it took his faith or belief in the word of God to bring it into manifestation.

You see, anything God promises you gets delivered to you when you believe that He (God) is able.
Just like Abram moved from the background of insignificance to significance by believing, the same will be your story as you journey with God this year.

You see, Abram’s belief in the word released him into prosperity, great divine encounters, blessings of the fruit of the womb, and divine protection. 
In fact, Abram’s faith in God, moved God to fight for his course without his knowledge.

This new year, be FULLY persuaded in your heart about what God has said about you. When God’s word declares that you are rich and prosperous, believe it and it will manifest.
When God’s word says you are healed, let that be your confession and don’t look at the symptoms of a sickness to determine whether you are healed or not. In fact, your healing is independent of what you may be experiencing in your body at that material moment.

Always look at the Lord, because faithful is He. 
Your belief in God will bring you to the shores of rest.

Read :Hebrews 4:3 “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

It is always important to consider your actions and inactions. In giving careful thought to your actions, you must think before you do something. Thus, you consider the action you want to take in the light of God’s word before doing it. This is the only way to avoid unfortunate circumstances or tragedies in life.

You must know that God is interested in you doing the right thing irrespective of the situation you find yourself in. 
Deuteronomy 6:18 says ” And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord,* that it may be well with thee…”,

You see, you can only and always do the right thing if you always think before you act, or you consider the action you want to take by crosschecking with God’s word.

Don’t be a kind of person who do things without any consideration or whatsoever. People who swing into action the moment any thought gets into their mind are headed towards destruction. 
Always remember the word in Proverbs 16:25 that says “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”.

You see, something “seeming” right does not mean it is right. You have to take a lot of things into consideration before you carry out a mission.

Always give a careful thought to what you want to do. This is what will make you to constantly operate in the will of God, thereby doing what is right before the Lord.

Read :Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit , especially prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1).
One of the ways to receive the gifts of the spirit is through “desires”. 
That’s why the Bible admonishes Christians to desire spiritual gifts.

Spiritual gifts are special endowment from the Holy Spirit that helps us to minister to the Lord and also to the needs of others. In fact, the Bible says spiritual gifts are given to benefit the body of Christ.

You see, it is by the release of these gifts that our world can be blessed and the body of Christ will also stand in its glory. 
For instance with the gifts of healing and special faith, sicknesses will be healed, people can also be imparted to overturn adverse situations.

Also, the gift of word of knowledge and word of wisdom will help us solve problems and guide us in decision making.

You see, the Church will be a glorious and a beautiful place to be in when all these gifts are working in the lives of Christians. 
But this can only happen when we redirect our desires towards spiritual gifts. Don’t let material things dominate your desires. Inasmuch as material things are helpful, the benefits of spiritual gifts outweighs every material thing you can ever have.

Direct that your strong feeling of wanting to have something towards spiritual gifts. God is ready to meet your desire for spiritual gifts.

Read: 1 Corinthians 14:1 “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy”.

Study: 1Corinthians 12:1-11

_Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth_ (2 Timothy 2:15).
Studying is an important factor in our walk with God. You see, you can’t be a good Christian if your “head” is not good. Because just like your spirit, your head must be flooded with the truth of the Gospel.

Anytime you are into study you devote your time and attention to gaining knowledge of a particular subject matter. It also involves a detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation. 
Thus, as a Christian studying will involve devoting your time to understand the things of God, the principles of the kingdom of God, and everything that will enhance your walk with God.

You see, until you give yourself to rigorous and consistent study, you will always walk with God at a shallow level. You got to go deep in study if you want to present yourself to God in the right and appropriate manner.

There are many folks today who are only running on the fuel of zeal. In order words, what keeps them going is zeal, passion, enthusiasm but they have no knowledge. Such people have the tendency to fall off when their zeal dwindles.

Another reason, why you have to study as a Christian is for you to be able to accurately handle and skillfully teach the word of truth. You see, the truth you know benefits no one, until you let it loose by teaching others.

God is interested in Christians who are studios. Don’t rush reading God’s word. Give time to studying God’s word in context. 
Remember that, when you don’t study, you will become insignificant with the passage of time.

Read: 2Timothy 2:15 “Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.”

Study: Ezra 7: 1-10

Anything you want to achieve or enjoy in life starts with you building it. Whether you like it or not you will have dreams and desires to achieve, but realizing them requires that you start building them. Until you build it, you can’t have it.

Nonetheless, to the Christian, building things in life must be our lifestyle since one characteristic of God is that He is a builder.

The Bible says in 1 Kings 5:5 that,
“And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.”

You see, it takes vision or purpose to build. That wonderful career, relationship or ministry will not fall on you like ripe mangoes because you can speak in tongues. No! Until you purpose in your heart to build, you will not have it.

One key to building is wisdom.
Proverbs 24:3 says “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established”.
You see, wishes never builds anything. 
You have to be guided by wisdom to get things done in life.

Always remember that, anything that you want to build will only happen when you have the wisdom for that. Wisdom ensures the success of whatever you build or want to build.

Rise up today and be a builder of many great things in your life.

Read: 1Corinthians 3:10, “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it”.

Study: Psalm 127:1-2

Life is full of cares and burdens. We face difficulties, testings and sometimes persecution and suffering. All these cause stress. But God never intended man to live under such stress. That is why the Bible admonishes us to cast our care unto the Lord. See 1 Peter 5:7; “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” You see cares are not to be carried but casted.

Casting your cares means “to throw or roll upon your worries”. God wants you to roll your burdens upon Him. He wants us to carry anything that makes us anxious to Him.

Interestingly, many people today so often nurse their cares. They burden themselves with the load that the Lord wants to handle for them. For instance some people carry the guilt of sin, fear, sense of unworthiness, etc.

A story was told about a woman who was carrying a load on the head by a roadside. But after been picked up by a generous passer by, the woman still kept her load on her head whiles sitting in the truck. This scene surprised the driver, who later told the woman that “there is space for you and your load” so drop the load and be at ease.

Today, we can say the same thing about some Christians who still carry the load that Christ can bear for them.
Remember that, there is space for you and every issue you have when we come to Jesus.

Learn to cast all your cares unto the Lord. Refuse to pamper and nurse your worries.

Let go the guilt of sin; Let go your worries; Let go your fears; Let go your sense of unworthiness, because God cares for you. God is in charge, there is no cause for alarm. Hallelujah!

Read: Psalm 55:22, “Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

Study: Matthew 11:28-30

Life is not without offences, irrespective of who you are as long as you still exist on earth, offence will come to you. It is impossible to go through life without being offended. Though offence do come, how we handle it influences the end result of the offence.

To be offended means to be hurt or angry because of a wrong against you. You see, anytime you carry hurt in your heart because of something done to you, you are offended

Jesus had this to say about how we should handle offence. Luke 17:3-4,”Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” You see offences are not to be kept but rebuked (reconciled) and forgiven.

We live in a generation where retaliation is common. They have this to say when offended: “am not talking to him anymore”: They rain insults, they fight or write off a brother or sister. But that shouldn’t be your stand as a Christian. Although it is “natural” for people to pay back for an offense, Christians are different.

Every offence not properly handled will give room for enmity and many times open doors for the devil. Prolonged offences can also birth bitterness which strengthens sickness. (Heb 12:15)

Never act carnally to habor an offence or evil in your heart. Let love lead!

Read: Acts 24:16 “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men.”

Study: Proverbs 19:11

“First of all, know [without any doubt] that mockers will come in the last days with their mocking, following after their own human desires” (2 Peter 3:3).
One of the things that characterize this end times is the “spirit of mockery”. That is to let you know that, we are in the days where people will mock God, the things of God and the followers of God.

The word “mock” means to criticize and laugh at someone or something for being bad, worthless, or unimportant. It also means to laugh and make fun of something. It is therefore not a strange thing seeing people make fun and laughing at the things of God in this generation.

To some, believers are a mere bunch of people who don’t know their left from their right. Believers have been branded religious fanatics and sometimes called “unwise”. 
But this is nothing, than an end time *demonic spirit* to cause your faith to waver and to make you doubt the move and the power of God in this last days.

You see, don’t let people’s destructive criticism which is backed by the spirit of mockery affect your love and commitment to the things of God. Rather, in the midst of this end time antagonistic spirit of mockery, grow from strength to strength.

Be admonished by the word of the Psalmist and have nothing to do with mockers. 
Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers”

Have nothing to do with people who mock you for your faith and zeal in the Lord.

Read: Jude 1:18 “How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts”

Study: Acts 2:1-18