RHEMA From Heaven

The place of Christian leaders cannot be undermined in the body of Christ. God sets leadership in the Church for the purposes of doctrine, discipline, correction, and empowerment. Thus, those who wear the mantle of leadership in the body of Christ have a unique task to discharge toward the people they lead. This charge is non-negotiable.

As Christians, we are required to remember the Christian leaders we have. Our remembrance must essentially be anchored on the word of God they taught, the example they set through their way of life, and the faith they exercised in the Lord. These fundamental aspects ought not to be forgotten by anyone who is serious about continuing in the faith.

You see, the passage of time can make you forget things that truly matter to your faith in the Lord. The pressures of life, hardships, and personal ambitions can deaden your conscience or diminish your alertness in some matters. Nonetheless, as a Christian, you must always make time to reflect on the course you are taking in life. This reflection should include recalling the Christian leaders God used to teach and impart your life. You have a duty to live up to the high standards of God’s calling by following their examples of purity, devotion, and service to the Lord.

The Apostle Paul admonished his disciple and coworker in the faith, Timothy, not to forget the example he had seen in him. We see this in 2 Timothy 3:10-14: “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.” (NIV)

Don’t just be a pew warmer in church. Learn from the examples of the godly men and women the Lord has set in the Church. Yes, their standards may not align with the fallen standards of the world, but you can be certain that these godly examples will keep you in the faith until the end.

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (NIV).

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the grace to remember the teachings and the faith of the Christian leaders You have set in the body of Christ.

As Christians, we must be outstanding in our character. Our lives must reflect the new nature we have received from the Lord. Ephesians 4:24 says, “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (NLT).

One area where we must demonstrate this noble character is in our dealings with money. You can’t be virtuous in your Christian life until you manage your desire and appetite for money. Yes, you may have needs and wants, but if you leave them unchecked, chances are that you may end up becoming greedy.

People who are greedy have an intense and selfish desire for wealth or possessions. Greed makes people lack concern for the well-being of others and leads them to violate ethical considerations in their quest to get what they want.

Don’t be carried away by the fleeting fantasies of this world. Be moderate in your demands and modest in life. That’s how to safeguard yourself from this materialistic and hedonistic-seeking generation.

As a Christian, use godly means to get what you want, live within your means, and trust God to provide for your needs and wants. Don’t allow the love of money to creep into your heart and overthrow your godliness and faith in the Lord.

Read: 1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs” (AMPC).

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to live a modest life, and to trust You for my needs and wants.

God’s word not only gives us promises and helps us understand how to live in a way that pleases Him, but it also guides us on how to approach different areas of our lives, including marriage. As Christians, God wants us to honour marriage.

Honouring marriage means, first and foremost, treating it as a sacred union reserved for a man and a woman who have committed to remain in a lifelong relationship. By doing so, we accord the union of marriage the respect it deserves.

Secondly, we can honour marriage by adhering to the principles and ethical standards it requires of us. The acts of fidelity, love, submission, and responsible behavior are not prescriptive rules meant to burden couples but are rather designed to help them conduct themselves in an honourable way within the marriage.

Anyone who gives in to attitudes that undermine the marital union or cause others to look down on the beauty and sanctity of marriage is not honouring the union.

Be guided by wisdom and knowledge before and during marriage; this will help you respect the institution of marriage.

Read: Mark 10:6-9 “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for wisdom and knowledge to handle any marriage union in a way that brings glory and honour to Your name.

As Christians, we have a mandate to reach out to people. People are our focus and our assignment. We must, in all our endeavors, reach them with the message of salvation and offer support that can help people rise to live a life of dignity.

Despite the fact that preaching the gospel of salvation stands out as our core mandate, God also wants us to remember the vulnerable in the world and those in prison.

You see, as humans, we can easily be attracted and attached to “heroes” and persons who are doing well, while forgetting about the less privileged. That’s why the call to remember the vulnerable is crucial. Vulnerable people are susceptible to harm and often lack the capacity to cope and adapt. These may include children, persons with disabilities, women of low social standing, and sometimes men who have experienced abuse and, as a result, lost their identity.

Our call as Christians is to extend our faith and practice to touch these people, to bring back hope and help restore them to a life of dignity. This also applies to those in prison.

Don’t limit your faith to the four walls of a church. Make an impact on the lives of those who are marginalized, disadvantaged, bedridden, unschooled, etc.

Yes, pray for their salvation and teach them God’s word, but also support them with the necessary skills and wisdom to enable them to live viable lives.

Read: Matthew 25:34-36: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace and resources to extend a helping hand to the vulnerable and those in prison. Amen.

Being hospitable may not be the path many would choose, even when it comes to people they know, let alone strangers. Nonetheless, the Bible admonishes us to be hospitable in all we do.

The call to be hospitable is for everyone, especially towards people we don’t know. The meaning of hospitality is well captured in our opening text. It connotes being friendly, gracious, sharing the comforts of your home, and providing a welcoming environment for people.

In Genesis 18:2-4, we see how Abraham, upon meeting three strangers, showed them a great act of hospitality. Verses 3 and 4 of Genesis chapter 18 read: “He said, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.’”

You see, Abraham respectfully requested the opportunity to be gracious and share the comforts of his home with these strangers. He did not disrespect or look down on them because he offered them comfort.

He had no idea he was dealing with angels who would later bring about the fulfillment of a two-decade-old promise in his life. His thoughtfulness in being hospitable to people he didn’t know blessed him in the end.

As you journey through life, never judge people based on their skin color, race, creed, gender, or age. Do the needful when you have the opportunity to do good. There are angels on the way.

Read: 1 Peter 4:9 “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” (NKJV)

Prayer: Lord, I pray for wisdom and the heart to be hospitable to people. Amen!

One of the cardinal virtues we must live with daily as Christians is love. Jesus made a remarkable comment on this subject, stating that it is only by this virtue that people will know we are God’s people. See John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (NIV)

Despite the beauty of love, its practice can become onerous when you are not “word-driven” and intentional about it. You see, people can abuse the good heart you express toward them. People can become callous and vindictive toward you on your journey of love, and worst of all, people can abuse you. They may use you to achieve their dreams and have little to do with you afterward. As a natural response, you might be tempted to bow out from the journey of walking in love toward people.

But the Lord is saying that despite all these happenings, “LET LOVE CONTINUE.”

To continue in something means that you persist in it. It also means to keep something going without stopping or pausing. Let your love continue. Continue to give to people, continue to pray for people, continue to support people, continue to forgive people, continue to encourage people, and continue to be kind to people.

Never allow mean people, ungrateful people, or those who don’t value the worth of love to make you walk out of this godly virtue. As one author once said, “In the end, it is always between us and God, not between us and them.”

Read: 1 John 4:7 “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” (NLT)

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to continue in love despite any challenges I may face along the way.

Looking up to the Lord in all that you go through is the sure way to have breakthroughs in life. When you learn to look up to the Lord, you always stay connected to him.

David, the man anointed by the Lord tells in Psalm 34:4 how the Lord answered his prayer in times of distress when he was running away from the King Saul who had wanted to kill him.

Not only that, but by looking up to the Lord through earnest prayer, his fears dissipated and his hope was reinforced.

In Psalm 34:5, the Bible says “those who look to him (God) are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” That’s to say that, when you look up to God, you will be far from shame no matter what befalls you.

Never draw back in the face of challenges, rather get deeper in your walk with God, look up to him as you pray and meditate on his word.

Read: Daniel 11:32 “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to always maintain my position of looking up to you no matter the circumstances in facing.

Self-control is the nature of the recreated human spirit. Thus, as a born again Christian, you have what it takes to put your emotions, and flesh under control.

Self-control is having rule over your spirit. One author defines self-control as self restraint, slow to react, and keeping ones emotions, feelings and behaviour within biblically accepted confines.

You see, when you engage the virtue of self-control, you are able to put your appetite or desires under check. You also get to know how to handle issues by not being excessively reactionary. Being “self -controlled” makes you not to act in a way that is inconsistent to the word of God.

Read: Proverbs 25:28 “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to always put my body under subjection of your word.

The life we live can be put under two kinds: the biological life and the spirit life. Before getting born again one lives by the tenets of the biological life. It is a life that is fully governed by the five senses. On the other hand, the spirit life, which is the life of Christ is unleashed at salvation. So the moment you got saved, you received a divine life. You received the life of Christ.

The Spirit life is a higher life. It is a life with divine vitality. This life gives us power over sin and death. Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death”.

You see, sin and death are the two main forces that has limited the biological life.People who live in the natural can’t stand the power of sin and death. It only takes the spirit life in Christ to overpower the law of sin and death.

As a Christian you must not be held bound by sin and the torments of death. You have a “superior life” that puts to nought these negative forces. The spirit life takes off the sinful nature. It puts into you the ability to have a right standing with God.

See Romans 8:10 “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness”. The spirit life in Christ brings you into freedom. You are no longer held bound. Stand fast in this liberty. Be conscious of this spirit life and live it to the fullest.

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:6 “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to always walk in this new life I have received at salvation to overcome every satanic doings.

Having results from prayers is also dependent on your willingness to walk in love and forgive people.

Thus, although prayer is important and it always produces tremendous results, you can make your prayers unfruitful by unforgiveness.
That is to say that you have no business praying when you hold things against people in your heart.

If you want to pray and see results, you must learn to walk in love, and never keep offenses.

Unforgiveness will not put your heart right before God to make you receive answers when you pray.
Mark 11:25 says “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses”.
Don’t keep hurts and offenses if you want your prayers to be heard.
You can pray, spin, whine and you will see no results when you don’t obey this word.

To receive answers from your prayers, first put your heart right before God by forgiving one another and walking in love.

Read: Mark 11:25 “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others].”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to always put my heart right before God by forgiving people and walking in love.