RHEMA From Heaven

Being grateful is God’s will for every Christian. Living without being grateful have dire consequences.

To be grateful simply means you show appreciation for something done for you. Your appreciation can be in a form of positive remarks, or showing a good conduct.

As Christians, we must be intentional about being grateful. When you don’t get to be intentional about being grateful, you will hardly appreciate what God or people has done or do for you.

People who live with the hallmark of gratitude, places premium on things done for them. Secondly, they value the sacrifice or love shown them and finally, they consider the cost associated with the kindness they have received.

This is why, being grateful comes with being intentional. You can’t be grateful when you are not analytical or refuse to give a deep thought on what has been done for you.

As time flies, never let the pressures of life cause you to be busy or forgetful about being grateful. Break that negative world order where nobody stops to say “thank you” or appreciate God and the people that have made significant contributions to your success.

Remember, a sincere “thank you” accompanied with a positive attitude can open more doors for your success in life.
Don’t think you have it all, and become complacent and ungrateful.

Read: Luke 17:17 “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the grace and wisdom to be grateful in life.

No serious Christian wants to be friends with the devil, let alone give him access into their lives.

Nonetheless, some actions or happenings may easily give the devil access or a place to function in your life. One of such happenings or activities that invite the devil unawares is harboring anger.

Christians who harbor or keep anger, or wrath in their hearts against people create a place for the devil to operate around them and through them.

You see, watever the devil can do against you is dependent on the place you give to him.

All the devil is looking for is a place to operate from. No wonder he moves to and fro. His agenda to steal, to kill and to destroy(John 10:10) only becomes possible when you open the door.

Grow in the knowledge of God and resist any happenings that inspires any carnal or sinful life like keeping anger in your heart. Give the devil no place in your life going forward.

Read: 2 Timothy 2:26 “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to let go of anger anytime such situations arise in my life. Amen

Self-denial is to selflessly give yourself to God. When you deny yourself, you put God’s interest above yours. This is what makes you give your life, time, and resources to the course of God.

Jesus in the above scripture teaches us the key to following the will of God, which is by self denial. Meaning that, if you put yourself first, you will not be able to follow the Lord well.

Following God demands self-denial. There is nothing like costless Christianity. We must sacrifice our comfort to follow God. We must deny ourselves before we can follow. Following the Lord demands absolute focus, loyalty and attention.

Do not be self-centered. Be zealous to respond to God’s call for your life. Remenber that, all that you are and possess is for a moment, but you will be eternally rewarded when you deny yourself and diligently follow the Lord and his will for your life.

Read:Luke 9:23 “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to always walk in selfish denial to live a life that glorifies your name.

Believers are called to serve. We are to serve God, and man. Our service to God is part of our fellowship with him. When we serve man, we are using our skill, gifts and abilities that God has blessed us to help others.

You see, service brings us to the place where we are duty bond. That’s to say that, day in and day out, there is something to be done. It could either be a church, work place or even the community at large.

Nonetheless, for our service to produce results and to also gain heavenly recognition. One must serve with sincerity and never with eye service.
Eye service will only make you do the needful only when you have someone watching you. But in serving the Lord, anything done to honour must be done without eyeservice. Don’t wait for someone to watch over you before.

Serve God better, and when given the opportunity serve people too beter. God desires genuine heart felt service, and not an eye service.

You see, attempting to please men to the neglect of God’s word will cause you to lose a heavenly recognition. Remember that seeking to please men can derail you from your God ordained path and purpose when it comes to service.

Read: Colossians 3:22
“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the genuineness and sincerity of heart to serve in which ever capacity I’m being called.

One of the striking questions Jesus once asked his disciples was in relation to his identity. He wanted to know from their own perspective, what they make of him or know of him as an individual.

Prior to this, the disciples had told Jesus the opinions of people about who he was. Nonetheless, he went further to ask them “Who do you say I am?”.

You see, this discourse between Jesus and his disciples brings one truth to bare. You must know the Lord for yourself.

Yes, people will have their opinions and perspectives about God. But as an individual, you must have your own personal knowledge, understanding, and revelation about the Lord.

To Peter, Jesus was the messiah, saviour or deliverer. He had his personal knowledge. He knew the Lord for himself. That’s to say that, he’s come to the place of encounter and truth.

Beloved, know who the Lord is to you. That’s what brings you into a personal relationship and opens the door for other encounters.

Grow in your personal knowledge of God. That’s a sure foundation for your salvation and excellence in life.

Read: 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to have a personal experience with your person and power in my life. Amen

Living for the Lord demands that, you keep yourself pure and without any form of contamination. Nonetheless, this can only happen when you understand the truth about defilement.

In our opening text, Jesus revealed that, a person is contaminated, or defiled from within. Simply put, you are destroyed from your inside.

Mark 7:20-23 reads “…What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come-sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly”. That’s to say that, the state of your heart can corrupt you, defile you or keep you pure before the Lord.

You see, it is high time you reflect on the things that you allow to linger in your heart. Although they are internal, it has the power to control your life.

Thus, instead of thinking of being defiled by what you eat, some external activities, watch what goes on in your heart. That’s where it all starts. Whether you will be led into greediness, sexual immorality, arrogance, and the like, your heart paves the way for that.

It is possible to live in purity and be blameless before the Lord. But guard your heart, through constant fellowship with the Lord, and meditation on His word.

Read: Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to keep the state of my heart against any form of defilement. Amen

One of the safety guards you can give to yourself in life is to give a careful thought to the things you do”. Meaning that anytime you want to do something you must assess the pros and cons it comes with.

Knowing what you are doing means that, you consider or understand the impact of the things you say or do. Having a knowledge of things, you want to do will help you to take best actions that will profit you.

One truth also our opening text reveals is that, when you understand things you want to do, you don’t rush into them. Folks who give careful thought to things they want to do or are doing avoid serious errors or mistakes.

Beloved, think about things well before you act. Whether you want to act on issues, take initiatives, or even say something be guided by knowledge. As a Christian, consider things you want to do in the light of God’s word before doing it. By this you are certain to avoid unfortunate circumstances or tragedies in life.

Know that God is interested in you doing the right thing irrespective of the situation you may be confronted with. 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…”,

Always know that you can 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 the kind of person who does things without any consideration whatsoever. People who swing into action the moment any thought gets into their mind are headed towards destruction.

Always give 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: Ephesians 5:15 “Act like people with good sense and not like fools” (Contemporary English Version).

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to always have a deep reflection of issues before doing something. In Jesus name. Amen!

As you go about life as a Christian, you are either storing up treasures in heaven or in this world.

Storing up treasures for yourself in heaven, means investing in things that has eternal value and storing treasures in this world means investing in things that don’t have eternal security.

You see, if all that you are labouring for is limited to this world, you have indeed laboured in vain.
Living in this world is a preparation or a dress rehearsal for the next life with the Lord. Thus, it matters what you invest in, it matters what takes your energy, it matters what takes your time and it matters what you make your priority.

As a Christian, you must commit to things that guarantee eternal rewards.
Although you must let your earthly life count by engaging in some important activities like education, career, family, managing your finances, these things must never make you lose sight of eternal things.

Know that, what you amass for yourself here stays here.
That’s why you must know what to actually “die hard” for.

Do something that will give you a reward in the next life. Invest in prayer, practice godliness, serve the Lord, and do everything to promote the gospel.

Read: Colossians 3: 1 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Prayer: Lord I pray for grace to always live with eternity in mind.

Walking with the Lord requires respect or reverence. This was one major characteristics of the early Church.

Respecting God, includes respecting His person and anything that pertains to his service.

As Christians, we can show our respect for the Lord when we sincerely obey His word against all odds. Our respect also must be revealed in how we carry out assignments or duties in the service of the Lord.

Being casual and careless in your service to the Lord does not show respect. Also, disdaining people who are ministers or servants of the Lord doesn’t show respect for the Lord.

You see, for us to see the glory of God in our lives, and our Churches, we must have a deep sense of respect for the Lord. Threat God and things of God as sacred, and worthy of noble recognition.

Don’t let your actions and inactions look down on the Lord, His servants, and the work of ministry.

Read: Proverbs 22:4 “Have respect for the LORD and don’t be proud. That will bring you wealth and honor and life”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to walk in reverence with you. Amen

In this end times, one admonishment from God’s word to believers is for us to take heart. To take heart means to have more courage, determination or hope.

You see, inasmuch as the end times will be characterised by difficulties, God want you to take heart. He wants you to be hopeful as you journey through life.

That’s to say that in the midst of all this uncertainties and troubles that the end times bring, you must never be moved by it or lose your joy.

As a Christian you have perfect peace from God (Isaiah 26:3) that the “fires” of life cannot consume you, neither can the “waters” of life sweep over you.

Rather, in the face of all the difficulties keep faith alive. Remain focused in your walk with God and never let your heart be troubled in anything.

Read: Isaiah 43:2 “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”

Prayer: Lord, I pray for grace to keep trusting your word for my life when faced with difficulties.