KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 4:19 ” But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye”.

Apostle Peter and John were arrested by the religious leaders for healing a lame man. They asked them (Peter and John) not to preach anymore in the name of Jesus. Our key scripture  reveals the answer they gave them ; “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye”. These men decided to commit themselves to the word of God.

Life circumstances may bring our way many situations that put a lot of pressure on us, to choose to do what may please us. We must always choose to do what God has said. God and his word are one Commitment to His word is commitment to Him. We may be tempted to relate to others according to how they treat us, yet the word says, we must forgive one another and be kind towards one another. Romans 12:21 reads “Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good”.

We cannot walk with God and continue to live by our flesh. To be fleshly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:6). It is a big irony to have a nation like Ghana as a Christian nation, yet a number of the public officers demand bribes before they would get their services executed. Contracts fees are not paid promptly because these officers demand monies before they make payments. . Most of these officers are supposed to be Christians. No wonder it is claimed there is so much hardship. Such people have put the fleshly gains ahead of the word of God. This thing gets serious when Pastors use all kinds of means to extort money from the congregation. Many organize programs with an agenda to make money. Remember what 1st Timothy 6:10 says “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some converted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”.

The flesh must never be allowed to rule and dominate us. Our commitment is to what God says, not what would make us feel comfortable at the expense of our spouses, neighbours. And what have you?

The Christian is the salt of the earth. Salt must dissolve, that is lose its state, so it could be beneficial to others. We are primarily givers not takers. This is what God’s word demands of us.

   PRAYER

O Father help the church to understand our role on the earth, to be the light that we are. Let your children esteem your word above all gains.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Philippians 2:15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

Philippians 3:18-19 ” (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 1:23 ” Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”

All Christians are born again by the word of God. According to our key scripture God’s word is an incorruptible seed.

Every creature have its habitat. Plants survive on the land, because they are products of the land. The fish stays in the water because that was where it came from.  James 1:18 reads “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures”. We have been begotten by the word of God. The word is a natural habitat. We are not products of reason and the senses.

It is a great temptation for a number of Christians to turn to the senses or reason. The senses comprise sight, touch, smell, hear and taste. These have become the normal sphere of acknowledgement for many Christians. It is wrong. The Bible says the just or the righteous ones would live by faith. (Romans 1:17). 2nd Corinthians 5:7 also reminds us that we walk by faith and not by sight”.  The child of God must commit himself to the word of God. There is no victory for us if we allow the natural to control us.

We as humans live in a natural world. There are a lot of things that come to us by virtue of the natural world. Things that have to do with purely our day to day natural world must be related from that plain. If the condition or event contradicts with what the Bible says then we must move away from the natural order of events to the word of God. In many of these cases, committing to the word may seem unreasonable yet your outcome will be victorious.

When Daniel in the Bible was told that the King had made an irreversible decree that no one should ask anything from anyone for thirty days. Daniel decided to stay with the word. Doing that meant he would be thrown into a Lion’s den, yet he chose to do so. Daniel was committed to the word of God. He was tried and cast into the Lion’s den yet the word prevailed. Daniel was not destroyed. Daniel 6.

 Stay committed to the word of God.

CONFESSION

God’s word reigns supreme in the realm of the spirit. I believe in the word, irrespective of what I see feel or hear. I reign in life because I am committed to the word.

FURTHER STUDIES

Acts 20:32 “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

2 Corinthians 4:18.  “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

What is attitude?

The advance learner’s dictionary defines attitude as ‘ A complex mental state involving beliefs feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways. Your ultimate impact in life depends on your attitude. Applying the scriptures gives one the best attitudes to life. Winners in various aspects of life are people with strong positive attitudes about life.

In our key scripture, Apostle Paul says because Christ lives in him he can do all things through Christ which strengthens him. Anyone with this understanding can’t be a failure. You approach life with a winning attitude… Mark 9:23 says, all things are possible to him that believes. What is the challenge that appears impossible? The scripture says if you can believe in the Lord, nothing will be impossible to you. How wonderful to have that inner assurance that, you can do, get or achieve everything you face.

Fear is a negative attitude that has robbed many people of achieving so much. The Bible continually tells us never to be afraid. The scriptures if allowed to dominate us would take away fear from us.

There is nothing too big for the child of God to achieve or overcome. The greater one lives in you. Ephesians 2:10 reveals that we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Anyone who comes to terms with this statement would become unstoppable. To know that you are a specially designed by God, made out of Jesus, only to produce good things. Such a man knows that, since He is God’s handiwork he is an outright success going somewhere to happen. He would not give in to mediocre ideas but understands that his makeup should only produce the best. Such a person would stand out unique in everything. The word of God indeed builds a very positive attitude in people. Colossians 3:23 says “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as the Lord and not unto men”.

A child of God with this knowledge approaches his work or assignments not as working for men but a way to please God who behold all that he does.

Feed your heart with the word and you would stand out as a success in all you do.

CONFESSION

God’s word creates and builds the best attitude any man could have. My life experiences are therefore very glorious because I apply God’s word to all I do.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Hebrews 13:5. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

1 John 4:4 ” Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joshua 1:8 ” This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success”.

I saw written on one of the public transports in Accra, “who knows tomorrow?” Many people talk about the uncertainties of the future and are therefore very apprehensive and fearful of what it holds.

Our key scripture tells us that we can make our way prosperous and have good success. It is all about walking in the word of God or walking with the word of God. In the key scripture he says the word of God shall not depart from our mouth; but we shall meditate or say it to ourselves day and night, that we may observe to do according to all that is written therein, then shall we make our way prosperous and have good success. Our mouth place a big part in making things turn out good for our good. He says we shall meditate on the word of God day and night. The word meditate means mutter, say, muse, moan, utter or roar.

Your mouth in the Greek is stoma. It means the edge of a weapon. The word of God in your mouth is a weapon ready to cause havoc to the enemy or, an instrument to create that which is not there. We must speak the scriptures to ourselves to build our faith as well. Declaring the word is a form of making war with the word of God. Demons cannot stand the declaration of the scriptures in challenging times. Our key scripture says you do it night and day.

The next part of our key scripture says we must observe to do all that is written therein. Doing the word is bringing the will of God to pass. Proverbs 4:18 says, the path of the just is as a shining light that shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day”. You can’t err acting on the word of God. Indeed you would make things turn out good by doing what God’s word says. The Lord Jesus said the man who obeys his word is like the man who builds his house on a rock. This house is strong and firm, able to withstand all forms of adversities. Your life through the word is a stable life that will always conquer every opposition that may arise against you. You would make your way prosperous and you would have good success.

Make the year a good one as you move and act on the word of God. The word would make you joyful, faithful, confident, wise and acceptable and humble. These are qualities that would surely make for good relationships and would expand your sphere of opportunities.

CONFESSION

I declare God’s word daily to myself and the Spirit of God works in my life to produce the results and effect of the word. I am more than a conqueror.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Psalms 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:1 ” I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

We continue with our discussion on taking the right step as we start a new year. Our key scripture admonishes us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.

A sacrifice is to willingly offer something precious or dear to you. You are supposed to offer your body as a living sacrifice. This means to unreservedly give off your body unto the Lord. Romans 12:2 talks about one aspect of our body that plays a great role in the use of our whole body; that is the mind. Romans 12:2 says ‘and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds……’ You can’t talk about presenting your body as a holy vessel without your mind being renewed in line with God’s word.. The mind is the first part of the body Satan would like to take advantage of. There cannot be holiness of life if one’s mind is not given to the Lord.

 Please know this, a decided mind cannot be tempted (understand temptation as, when one is   drawn away by his own lust and enticed: James 1:14). Your mind must be given to the Lord. You can let the Lord have your mind by daily feeding on the word of God.

Psalm 119:11 David said “Thy word have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee”. The entrance of the word gives light and it gives understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130) God’s word would condition you to see life from God’s point of view. You would have a pure mind. Remember to the pure all things are pure. (Titus 1:15)

The issue of holiness is a problem to some Christians. This is very unfortunate. Christians are; called saints or the Holy ones, because the Spirit of holiness lives in them. The challenge they face about holiness is because of an un-renewed mind.

Dear child of God the state of your mind determines whether you are a spiritual man or a carnal man. The condition of your mind shows whether Satan has the upper hand in your life or God.

When the Bible was introducing the armour he first spoke of getting our loins with the belt of truth. This is referring to our minds being filled with the truth.

To present your body as a living sacrifice, your mind must be dominated by the word of God, then you would easily allow your body to function to please God.

   CONFESSION

My mind is renewed by the word of God. I have total control over my life that makes me walk to please the Lord in all I do.

FURTHER STUDIES

Ephesians 4:23-24. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:1 ” I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

A life totally committed to the Lord is the safest way to live. Our key scripture says it is our reasonable service. This implies every other way is unreasonable. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt King Pharaoh made a suggesting to the children of Israel. Exodus 10:24 “And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said, go ye serve the Lord, only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you”. Pharaoh’s request is one of the biggest strategy of Satan. He tells you serve God, yet as for one Sunday in the month just stay at home and rest. Serve God with all you have but keep your monies and don’t make sacrifices unto God. He may ask you to serve the Lord but just keep the worldly music or may be some “x” films. (X rated films are pornographic firms).

Please listen to Moses answer to King Pharaoh. Exodus 10:26 “Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind, for there of must we take to serve the Lord….”. Dear child of God let God have everything. Anything left for the devil, leaves you in bondage. Everything given to God is your deliverance. The call of God is purely for our deliverance and liberty. Give everything over to the Lord. This is the most secured way to live. The Lord Jesus explained this in Matthew 16:25 this way “for whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it”. Don’t be wiser than the master, the man who fails to commit his whole life totally unto the Lord, would lose it although he may be attempting to secure it.

Satan is an enemy of all men. He is like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour. Who are those he may or can devour? Those who have decided not to yield their whole being to the Lord Jesus. Such a person has no shepherd over his soul. The enemy has the cheapest task to pounce on such a person and tear him or her apart. The Holy Spirit begs us in the key scripture to give ourselves totally to Him.

  CONFESSION

Thank you Heavenly Father for the opportunity to be yielded to you. My life is perfectly secured and no devil can make a mess of me because the Lord is my shepherd.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Psalms 23:1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

John 12:24 ” Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:1.  ” I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

 What is the right step to take as a Christian in the beginning of this New Year?

Our key scripture shows us the way. The Bible is God’s manual for a fruitful successful life. It tells us to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, and this is our reasonable service. Men are always tempted to live for themselves. This is always the biggest wrong step that most men take. Proverbs 14:13 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death. Dear child of God do not make your program and plans for the year by putting God second to anything. History have continually taught us that when God is put first everything turns out well. When he is put second or out of coverage area everything turns to fail.

Man is a dependent being, he cannot do   without even water, oxygen and is dependent on God. He is only blessed when he pursues God’s agenda for Himself. We do not use God to achieve our plans rather we yield ourselves to Him to fulfil His agenda. In the garden of Eden Satan succeeded to deceive Adam and Eve so they would live independent of God. The end result was the total failure and fall of humanity. Man became a slave of sin and servant to Satan.

Proverbs 3:5 tells us to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding”. Many people would pursue their business agenda against God’s way. Some will cheat, deceive and manipulate to be rich. This path is a high way to disappointment. Some husbands will be keeping girlfriends alongside their wedded wives. This year, cancel that program and commit your body to the Lord as a living sacrifice.

 God is calling on us to let Him have our whole being. Our thought, our desires, our aspirations and our pursuits. Do it to honour Him. In our key scripture it says living this way is your reasonable service. It is a right step to take in this year.

The Bible is replete with people who chose to honour God with their lives. They ended up as high flyers. Those who decided to go their own way ended as failures. The choice is yours.

   CONFESSION

I am given to God. My life is his and I live only to glorify Him. I continually see success all around me. Life is only meaningful, when lived to please God.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Matthew 6:33. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”.

Psalms 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

As we consider the need to fast and pray in this first month as a way of opening up, to the grace of God in our lives, we’ve got to know what the Bible teaches about proper fasting.

The book of Isaiah chapter 58 (please read all the chapter) was solely devoted to the teaching on fasting. In that book, the prophet wrote in verse 3 the following “wherefore have we fasted say they, and thou seest not?” Wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge? Behold in the day of your fast ye find pleasure and exact all your labours”. This was the complaint of the Jews

Many groups that would be fasting around this time will set a time period for fasting. Some will be doing it in forty days and others twenty one days or lesser. Many fast with their focus on going through the period; that becomes their goal and not on the Lord and the need at stake.. They fast to satisfy their ego. This is what some say, “I was able to fast for 21 days or 40 days”. Fasting is a devotion unto God. He becomes the focus not on us.

A close study of Isaiah 58 teaches that true fasting does not only involve forsaking your food and doing every other thing as you please. In that chapter the Holy Spirit said, people fast yet they keep the strive and division that exist between them and their neighbours. It is a big irony to see a husband and wife at longer heads, yet they are all fasting. Some fast yet would not show any kindness to neighbours who are in need. Isaiah 58:4 reads “Behold ye fast for strive and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high”.

Fasting is not complete without a kind consideration of the second party. It must be done on God’s terms. Our key scripture shows us that our fast should not only be focused on ourselves but the consideration of them that are in bondage. As we pray for our needs, we must consider those who are in various needs to pray and intercede for them also.. True fasting is not a selfish venture. It always seeks the good and deliverance of others. When fasting is done this way, the Lord says in Isaiah 58:10 “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkness be as the noon day”.

Do good to others in the period of your fast. Do it in kind or through prayer.

 PRAYER

Father thank you for the revelation of your word. Help all Christians who fast to do it on your terms, not on our terms. This I pray in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Isaiah 58:7 “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?”

Isaiah 58:8 ” Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”.

We continue with our discussions on taking concrete steps to make our new year a very successful one. I believe that as much as we wish that the new year brings blessings of all sorts, life experience have thought us that it does not just happen by wishing . Life gives you according to your input.

We would need the hand of God to rest mightily on us to do exploits. Our key scripture tells us that, those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. To wait means to hope in, to trust in, to expect from the Lord. Just as a restaurant attendant waits on a client, ready to respond to any demand or request from this client. Fasting and prayer is one of the ways we could wait on the Lord.

Fasting is the act of abstinence from food over a period in order to seek the face of the Lord in pray, study of God’s word and meditation. It is basically abstinence from food so you could give attention to God. The scripture said, they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like the eagle. The word renew also means to change, alter, to revive or to cause to flourish again, like a tree that has decayed and fallen down.

In this first month of the year it is just proper for Christians to seek a renewal of strength (divine ability or grace) to give them quick speed in the course of the year. Life is spiritual and we must always approach it spiritually first then the physical aspect follow suit. The statement that says, “They shall mount up with wings as Eagles” means to put forth fresh feathers like the molting eagle. It is said about the eagle that after some years of retaining its vigor to a great age, it molt (molting means shedding forth the old feathers) and renews its feathers. It gains its youthfulness one more time and lives to a very great age.

We need to renew our strength both spiritual and physical to optimise our performance in all forms. Isaiah 58:8 shows us what happens after we have waited on the Lord. “Then shall thy light break forth speedily and thy righteousness shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be thy reareward”. Isn’t this great.

Do spend some days in this month waiting on the Lord in prayer and fasting.(This does not mean you break from work, you could still be doing your normal activities yet you can be fasting) The Lord would infuse you with great ideas and new strength to make a great year.

  PRAYER

Heavenly Father you are the strength of m y life. I ask for grace as I wait on you, so I would be more effective in every task or assignment that I may have to do.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Isaiah 58:9. “Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity”;

Luke 4:14 ” And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.”