For a while now, we have been talking about right decisions. Hope you have been following closely. The reason we are dwelling on this topic is because the way you begin the year matters a lot.
It’s noteworthy to point out that it’s four days into the year already, so much has happened in just three days. I hope you aren’t planning to flow with the tides?
What decisions have you made for the year? Or do you plan to live every day as it comes?
If you want a fruitful year, it’s not too late to set your goals for 2022.
Here are a few things you should consider:
1. Wake up early every day to say a word of Prayer before setting out for school;
It is wrong for you to leave your house without first communicating with your maker.
2. Make sure to read your Bible every day;
Do you remember the Sunday school song ‘read your bible and pray every day if you want to grow’?
3. Be committed to showing love to everyone around:
God made everyone, so show love to everyone.
4. Respect your parents and everyone else:
Do you remember what the scriptures say about showing respect to your parents?
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. – Ephesians 6:1
5. Do your best at everything:
Do not live a life of mediocrity. Go for the best.
With these few things, you are set for an amazing year already.
God bless you as you do.
Prayer: Lord, help me to make the right decisions this new year.
Action point: Talk to your parents or guardians. Let them help you follow through with your decisions.
Declaration: I make the right decisions this year in Jesus name, Amen.
Pursue! was taught by Rev. Dunamis Okunowo on the 2nd of January 2022 at Shouts of Grace Center, Joke Plaza, Beside Trans Amusement Park, Bodija-UI Road, Ibadan.
In his teaching, Rev. Dunamis made mention of the following important points:
The pattern of God is to change you so that you can then change the situation. If there’s no change in you there will be no change around you.
The new year won’t make much difference if there’s no new you. You will have the same results till there’s a change in you.
2022 is going to be a very quick year, because God said ‘pursue!’
And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” 1 Samuel 30:8 (KJV)
God is a God of process; He is not a magician.
This is the year to pursue; not a year to sit down and allow the waves of life to toss you up and down. Make up your mind to be a very deliberate person.
The devil may not be able to kill you, but he would try to steal from you.
Your goods that have been tapered with will be recovered this year in the name of Jesus. You will drive that car this year. You will build that house this year. You will start that project this year. You will marry this year.
God has given you an assurance of recovery, all you need to do is pursue.
Our running this year is purposeful.
The first thing to take note of in pursuing this year is your dressing. You can’t run effectively with extra loads on your body.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1
This year, shed off all the weights and sin you’re carrying, and run light. All the power of hell cannot stop the word of God; only you can!
Weights are not sin, but they slow you down in your journey. Sin is anything that offends God.
Two ways to forgive someone quickly
1. Pray for the blessing of that person
2. Buy a gift for that person
Decide to work the work until that which God has spoken becomes your experience. Years will be collapsed into 2022, and then extracted for you. Ensure that there is no situation that steals your joy, for it is your joy that grants you the strength needed to pursue.
To listen to messages of Rev Dunamis, go HERE or HERE
The dove is a gentle bird. It often symbolizes peace. So, this talks about character.
After the physical appearance, then you must take into cognizance the inner beauty.
Outer beauty without inner character is a disaster.
The flesh of my flesh, that talks about outer beauty. The bone of my bones deals with character, inner structure, the inner frame supporting and holding the outer beauty in place. This is important.
Can you vouch for his or her character? Will he raise his hands to beat you when he is angry? Then, he is not qualified.
Will she pack her things, leave her parents’ home and go sleep in a friend’s house over simple altercations? Then, you need to be careful.
Has he slapped you once? You need to be careful. He has shown you a sample of what is to come!
God has presented you with an opportunity to know what he or she is like!
Love is not stupid. Love doesn’t turn you into an idiot. Think. Ask questions. Don’t walk blindly into a marriage that could mar destinies for life.
3. Green Bed
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. – Son 1:16 (KJV)
The bed must remain green and fresh. Putrefaction must not set in as a result of iniquity and pre-marital affairs!
When the bed has been stained red with compromise, wrong seeds have been sown.
As you go into that relationship, make up your mind that the bed must remain green! Do not soil the bed with iniquity, because as you lay your bed so you lie on it.
In essence, everything you do before your wedding date is a seed, a foundation for your marriage.
If he wants to stain the bed by all means, let him go, maybe he is not yours!
If she wants to drag you into the bed before the time, beware lest you are dealing with a strange woman.
If you are already married, keep your bed green and avoid all forms of adultery including emotional affairs.
If you are entangled or about to be entangled, seek help. Don’t keep quiet. Iniquity is perpetuated in the atmosphere of secrecy.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My eyes are opened. I look well before making a choice
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, open the eyes of my understanding
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Song of Solomon 1:15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.
The Kind Of Beauty God Loves. We all want to look beautiful. It is delightsome when our husbands tell us, ‘you look pretty or ‘you are gorgeous’.
And I must tell you, there is so much noise about different beauty products. Makeup artists are being paid heavily just to make women look gorgeous.
The fashion industry is booming with different styles every day. We have all types of human hair now, and they are really expensive.
The other day I saw a Whatsapp video of a woman bleaching. She was literally removing the layer of the skin. Women go through all these troubles just to feel and hear people say they are beautiful.
There is nothing wrong with being beautiful. In fact, God loves it when we are beautiful because we reflect God in our beauty.
We as believers, however, who are called of God to be separate from those of the world and called out of darkness into His marvelous light need to know that our beauty and our motive has to be different.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
God never approves of a wife who is beautiful outwardly but has a nasty, stinking attitude, especially with her husband.
I love how the CEV bible puts it in
Don’t depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special. – 1Pe 3:3-4
Our beauty should not be based on externals. If we spend all our time focusing on making our bodies beautiful at the expense of our spirit, we have beautiful bodies and ugly spirits.
God does care so much about our nails or fixed hair as much as He does our gentle and quiet spirit. He is not proud of wives who take their primary responsibility for granted.
Our primary responsibility is worship to God and part of our worship to God is honoring our husband.
Until we see being submissive, putting our husbands first, and honoring them as worship to God, we will keep fighting for our rights.
God is a just God and He well knows how to defend us, take care of us and reward us. All He asks of us is to honor Him first and be mindful of making the fragrance of our worship raise up to Him as our worship.
This is the beauty He is proud of and acknowledges.
May we not end up knowing all our beauty regimes were all wasted and as filthy rags before God.
May we all be truly beautiful inside out!
God bless our marriages
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I pay more attention to being beautiful inside
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to cultivate inner beauty more than outward beauty
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY 1Pe 3:4 Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Pay attention to developing your relationship with God
Do you know how to live with integrity? Taiwo wasn’t really interested in helping Ola with her mathematics assignment. She had consented to it while they were amongst friends and didn’t want to look uncool. The others had clapped for her, Taiwo never felt this good.
Now, Ola was coming over to Taiwo’s house with the assignment, any minute from now. Oh boy! Taiwo suddenly wished she had not agreed to it in the first place. Her favorite show would be coming on the television soon and she didn’t want to miss it.
‘Why the worry?’ Taiwo’s mom asked her. ‘You are wearing out the rug.’
‘I promised to help Ola with her assignment but can’t anymore. I want to watch my favorite show on television.’ Taiwo answered.
‘Now what did Jesus say about that?’ she asked.
‘We should keep our promises?’ Taiwo said.
‘Exactly!’ said her mom.
Jesus said we should not be too hasty to make a promise. Making a quick decision without first thinking it through could be a problem for us like Taiwo is in right now.
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. – James 5:12, KJV
Keeping promises is very important as they help to build our integrity and credibility.
‘So what are you going to do?’ Taiwo’s mom asked her again.
‘I guess I can watch the show next week. Ola won’t be happy if I don’t help her as promised. I have to keep my promise.’ Taiwo said.
I am so proud of you.’ said her mother, clapping for Taiwo.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to keep my promises so I can be a person of integrity and credibility. Also, make me wise enough to not make hasty decisions or promises in your mighty name I pray. Amen.
Action plan: Are there promises you have made to others and you didn’t keep? Pray about them and ask Jesus to help you keep them. Also, ask for forgiveness from these people.
Declaration: My yes is yes. I will not be double-minded.
