WORK HIS WORKS
Luke 13:22-35

Peter was trained, and schooled, at the feet of Jesus Christ. During his training, he saw it all, and had everything that qualified him to be a disciple of Jesus. He learned all that a man could have possibly learned from his master. By virtue of the knowledge gained from Jesus, he was qualified to teach, and share, the mind of Christ through the Spirit of God. Once, when he was preaching to the gentiles he stated, “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35) In this statement from Peter, it is clear that without the fear of God, it is not possible to work righteously, and without the works of righteousness no one can be accepted by Jesus. Peter was speaking with the mind of Christ to all that had ear to hear. Also, Jesus mentioned the effects of works in His teaching on, “The Way into the kingdom.” In Luke 13:26, “Then you will begin to say, ‘we ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.” The point to be driven to here is the works of righteousness. When it is time to enter the Kingdom, the time that Jesus will have to identify who is who, and have lived the life of qualification; it is our work that will show up. The emotional roller coaster of jumping, rolling, and working in the church will not be visible, neither would it be considered by Jesus. What Peter was referring to was the works of righteousness, and that is what Jesus will be looking for, as He has mentioned. What this required works are about can be identified in the book of John when Peter, and his fellow disciples, were learning at the feet of Jesus. John 6:28, “Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”” Have you considered knowing what it is or what it means to “work the works”, or “work righteousness”? Jesus gave the answer to what it means when he responded in John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said to them, this the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Do you believe? To believe is not just in the mouth, or going to Church. To believe is to be-living Christ like. Without doubt, if maybe 5% of the acclaimed believers today are true followers, who are be-living Christ today, the world would be a better place than what it is today. “Work the works” that Jesus will identify in you when it is time for you to move into His Kingdom.

Prayer for today: In all the work that I work, O Lord my God, let me work the works of righteousness that I may be counted for Your kingdom.

SACRIFICE TO POSSESS
Genesis 23

In life, there is no possession, without sacrifice. This is to say that, behind every gained possession, there is a reasonable sacrifice invested. Sacrifice might happen in different ways, but sacrifice is inevitable before rightfully possessing. Moses was speaking to the children of Israel when he said, “Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess.” (Deuteronomy 11:8) God promised the children of Israel a possession, but it would not happen until they had invested a required sacrifice. Keeping the commandments would give strength to go forward to possess that had been given unto them. Sacrifice is costly, and could be in different forms. Obeying the commandment is a sacrifice because it will take man out of his way to God’s. Sacrifice could also be paying hard earned money before having any possessions. After Sarah’s death, Abraham needed land to bury Sarah. Abraham requested a land from the sons of Heth to bury his wife. The sons of Heth responded to Abraham, “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.” (Genesis 23:6) Both the sons of Heth, and Abraham, went back and forth offering the land for free while Abraham insisted on paying for the land as a sacrifice. After Abraham consistently refused to take the land for free, by asking for the price to be paid, he eventually got a quoted price for the land to bury his wife. Genesis 23:17-18, “So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.”” The land did not become Abraham’s possession until he paid a reasonable sacrifice (price). 1 Corinthians 16:9 “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” Possessing from your great and effective door begin to contend in battle with every adversary. The Lord is on your side and you shall possess your possessions.
Prayer for today: Enable me O Lord to be able to deliver a reasonable sacrifice that will grant me the grace to possess all of my possessions, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

MONTH OF OPEN HEAVEN
Matthew 7:7-11

Jesus was teaching when He said, in Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” This is to say that the combination of asking, seeking, and knocking will bring about a great opening, because a great God responds greatly, and abundantly. Also, Jesus was teaching from experience, and from what He knows will undoubtedly happen. Prayer is the combination of asking, seeking, and knocking. In Luke 3:21, “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.” Jesus, by example and teaching, proved that the key for opening heaven is in prayer. Jesus went to the place of baptism, and people that were baptized remained quiet with no prayer after their baptism. Jesus refused to be intimidated by their silence of not praying, Jesus went into prayer, after being baptized, and heaven opened. As a believer, do not look around you for who is praying and who is not praying, before you, yourself start to pray. Prayer will open heaven, and earth will not be able to stop your blessings. Here is what the opened heaven deposited in Jesus, “And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” The effect of an open heaven was what channeled Jesus into the center of His assignment on earth. Right after the open heaven’s manifestation, Luke 3:23 pointed out that, “…Jesus Himself began His ministry…” The word of God is true and, “All the scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) By this word, if you have prayed, and there is no experience of an open heaven on your behalf, it is time to take your prayer to another level, which is able to catapult all adversaries into the pit of hell. Jesus proved to us that prayer opens heaven, and the Bible lets us know that adversaries make open heaven seem like it isn’t opened, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Corinthians 16:9) How is your prayer life? If this is a new day, week, or month for you, and you are expecting from God, consider, profess, and meditate that it shall be your season of open heaven. It is important to know that effective, fervent prayer will catapult every adversary that could hinder your great and effective open heaven.

Prayer for today: Father, I ask in Jesus’ name, every form of adversaries that have positioned itself to deny my open heaven shall be burned off by the consuming fire of God.

PROCESS OF TIME
Exodus 2

The purpose of promise is to bring to pass the plan of God. Every promise has a time of manifestation. In between a given promise and the manifestation of a promise is the process of time. The process of time can be short, or it can be long because God controls time and timing. The book of Ecclesiastes said it well, “To everything there is a season. A time for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Man can only change the hand of the clock. Changing the hand of clock is an attempt to move when and where God has not called for movement. Such a move is movement in a way that seems right to a man. Are you attempting to plan to move at your own time, or by your own timing? Proverb 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” If your move is not in the timing of God, you are moving in the turning of your clock. God never forgets His own, neither will He forsake His own. The challenges will be devastating when you moveat your own time. Does it look like the year is no longer on your side; discouragement is coming from left and right? Also it seems like you are no longer hearing from Him, colleagues are so far ahead of you and you think you are at the bottom of life. Remember, there are some that are still struggling with sever situations greater than yours. God is in control of all that goes back and forth, and He is also the God of the eleventh hour. When they say to you, “It is finished”, then He will show up to deliver you at the finishing line. He is the God of the eleventh hour. It is a great privilege to know that in the process of time, storms will come, hell will break loose, and challenges will be exceedingly painful. Trusting in the Lord with all your heart will carry every believer through the process of time. For the Children of Israel, among the process of time was Egypt, “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.” (Exodus 2:23) Unlike other places in the process of time for them where they complained, in Egypt, they cried and call to God and God acknowledged them. In your process of time, come unto Him, and do not complain unto Him.

Prayer for today: O Lord my God and my Father, I ask this day for the grace to hold only onto You during the process of time, for the life that you have given to me.

FEAR NOT
Matthew 14:22-36

As a believer or a non-believer, the fear inside you, is fear that will fail you. God alone is to be feared at all times, and everyday, and He will not fail you. Fear is the demonstration of taking the mind and the eyes away from God. Fear is of the devil, and not of God. In every area of life, there is a need to have control over fear, and not let fear have control. What is feared often becomes what happens in reality. God was speaking to Ezekiel in one of His messages to His people, Ezekiel 11:8, “You have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,” says the Lord GOD”” What you fear will fail you, and there is no escape in that. Jesus once sent His disciples to the other side of the lake, while He was going to join them later. In every man’s journey, getting to the other side requires faith, not fear. Before Jesus sent them, He must have known the challenges because He is the God that sees the end in the beginning. The Bible recorded, “But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.” (Matthew 14:24) Most challenges that lead to fear often come at a point where there is no turning back, in the middle or late hour of the journey. However, the One that sends you to the other side will not delay to deliver when the storm rises. Just as the disciples were being tossed by the waves, Jesus showed up, walking on the water. “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water” (Matthew 14:27-28) With Peter’s eyes on the Lord, he began to walk on water, just like Jesus. Peter could not sink at the beginning of his walk, until he took his eyes off the Lord. Whatever you set your eyes on, will upset your eyes on the Lord. Matthew 14:30, “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”” There was no need for Peter to set his eyes away from the One that sent him to the other side. The journey will be boisterous, either you like it or not, and that calls for the need to set your eyes on Jesus, so that fear will not take over. What Peter feared, failed Him.
Prayer for today: My Lord and my God, I ask for the grace to remain focused on You in all of my journey, so that when storms rise, it will not get my attention. Deliver me from every agent that causes fear.