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WAKE UP!

WAKE UP!

Revelation 3:2-3

 

Wakey! Wakey! It’s time to get up! Get up! Look alive and alert; time waits for no one. Stop sleeping the time away. Stop snoozing the alarm.

Alarm clocks have become a modern-day necessity. Many of us cannot function without setting alarms; we have alarms for all kinds of things, whether needed or not. I most certainly do. Otherwise, we would miss a lot of things, forget or ignore something, and be late for many other things.

Wake-up calls are common in hotels all over the world. You let the hotel's front desk know you’d like them to wake you at a particular time, and sometimes, you can even tell them how they should wake you. At the agreed time, the phone rings, and a computer-generated voice can be heard telling you it’s time to get up.

Jesus is doing the same now. “Wakey, wakey, it’s time to wake up spiritually!”

You could be awakened by a knock on your door, the incessant ring of your phone, the cry of a child, a nudge, or any other way. A lot of times, we wake up because we’re tired of sleeping, but alas! Only the living who were asleep can be awakened. The dead don’t and cannot wake up!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven; a time to sleep and a time to be awake." God called the light day, and the darkness He called night purposely in Genesis 1:5 because, according to Jesus in John 9:4, the night-time comes when you can’t “work.”

The text indicates that Christ is calling the “church,” that’s you and I, to wake up from our death-sleep, to become and remain alert, to stay awake to do kingdom business.

Wake up! A phrase used in stirring men to action. As Israel is called on to awake from its previous state of darkness and death in Isaiah 59:10 and Isaiah 60:2, for her Light has come, so the Church and everyone are called to wake up.

Believers are called on to wake up out of sleep; and unbelievers, to "arise" from the dead, knowing that now it is high time—literally, the hour has already come to awake out of sleep—of stupid, fatal indifference to eternal things according to Romans 13:11.

From Proverbs 20:13, we deduce that continuous sleep leads to poverty; when will you find time for anything of value if all your time is spent sleeping—both physical and spiritual sleep? Earthly activities are time-sensitive, and to keep abreast of them, we must observe the time to meet those demands; deadlines to meet. Imagine telling your boss that the project assigned to you that was due for completion a few days back is still not done because you were sleeping. I bet you’ll be complimented on your sleeping ability.

That’s exactly what we do with the Lord all the time—we’re either spiritually asleep or dead, making little or no difference in the areas the Lord has assigned to us, or we keep pushing things back until we think we’re ready. You want everything to be just right—"when I finish," whatever it is we think is more important than kingdom business—but time waits for no man. Wake up! When will you be ready?

We are creeping slowly but surely to the winding up of earthly matters. Christ is on His way. Wake up from your slumber and get on with kingdom business.

PRAYER: Lord, may the sound of the season and the call of the coming king wake me from spiritual slumber and keep me awake and alert for kingdom agenda in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT’L PRAYER MIN.

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CRAFTY COUNSEL

CRAFTY COUNSEL

Psalm 83:1-5

 

The verb "counsel" means to plot, plan, or give advice. "Crafty counsel" refers to plotting, planning, or giving advice that is not to the benefit of the recipient.

Our text scripture starts with a plea for God to not keep silent in the face of people’s suffering. People seem to think that God is inactive and indifferent to their plight and distress when the opposite is the case.

Psalm 83 can be titled the "Psalm of the Six-Day War" because, on May 28, 1967, Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of the United Arab Republic, said, “We plan to open a general assault on Israel. This will be total war. Our basic aim is the destruction of Israel.” When war broke out on June 5, the United Arab Republic was joined by Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Algeria, Sudan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. The attempt of this confederacy to drive Israel into the sea was unsuccessful. In six days, the war was over, and Israel was the undisputed victor. Psalm 83's reference to crafty counsel now makes sense and has meaning.

There are many people ready with the wrong counsel today, like the Israelis of old and the president of the UAR. People worldwide are surrounded by enemies who pretend to be their saviours, dishing out supposedly good advice that is crafty counsel that only benefits them. Like Rehoboam, Solomon’s son in 1 Kings 12:8, who asked for advice from the older counsellors but instead listened to his mates who gave him wrong counsel.

There is a message hidden within this Psalm that we need to know as people of God. First, it is important to note that the law of God in this Psalm is not regarding the moral law of God. Instead, it’s about God’s instruction to his people, that there’s a blessing for those who do not walk in wickedness when giving and receiving advice.

The list of hostilities across the globe escalates daily, and the world and his brother are dishing out wicked, wrong, and crafty counsels that seem good to those in dire need of clear direction and assistance.

Our text referred to Israel’s enemies as God’s enemies and the threat to them as a threat to God.

People are constantly looking to preachers and religious leaders for spiritual advice. Unfortunately, many of these do not respect spiritual authority or heaven’s mandate. Christians who deny the miracles of the Bible are unfit to counsel others in spiritual matters, and those who interpret the Bible to suit themselves are not safe spiritual advisers. Beware of Christians who add and take away from the word of God; they are not to be trusted to give godly counsel. We should especially beware of religious leaders and people whose counsel disagrees with the word of God, as stated in Proverbs 19:20.

When we require advice about something that may affect the course of one’s life or the destiny of a soul, we should seek a godly, wise, and respected person to counsel us.

Mature or older persons are not necessarily better at giving advice; it is only the wise that can give godly counsel.

We should weigh all advice carefully by the word of God, the standard for godly and spiritual counsel. No matter what men may say, God’s word is right and true. His Word should be the final word in every situation. The only truly infallible guide that we have is the Bible.

God hides us from the secret counsel that is plotted against our destruction, according to Psalm 64:2. There are those whose daily occupation it is to give crafty and evil advice even when not needed.

Christ, our counsellor according to Isaiah 9:6, will always give us the right and godly counsel in all circumstances.

Do not mislead anyone or allow yourself to be misled by the crafty, wicked counsel of the wicked.

PRAYER: Father, grant me the discernment to recognize and avoid crafty counsel and the wisdom to not offer crafty counsel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT’L PRAYER MIN

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COMMITMENT

COMMITMENT

1 Kings 8:61

 

One of the serious problems facing the world today is the lack of commitment, which no longer seems to be part of our society. Even believers, while their lips give service to God according to Isaiah 29:13, are often not truly committed to His ways. To achieve any significant goal or purpose requires commitment. Total commitment, not partial, is where success lies.

Commitment is the act of taking charge of something and seeing it through, the act of keeping a trust without wavering. Life is all about commitment; we commit in all kinds of ways. We are committed to personal goals, financial institutions, matrimony, our families, and we must commit to God—spiritual commitment. We commit to work or organizations, personal goals, relationships, and sometimes even to selfish and sinful pursuits. Commitment involves deciding and acting on that decision with focused and sometimes costly perseverance and then reaping the benefits.

Committing our hearts, minds, and bodies to God is central to a life of faith. In fact, faith without commitment is dead. God requires total commitment from us. However, God does not demand more than we can give; He requires us to do what is good, as stated in Micah 6:8. Commitment isn’t for a while, as we feel, not sometimes but continuous and consistent, totally involved.

Every life’s achievement requires commitment—whether good or bad. Even the scriptures encourage us to commit to the Lord in Psalm 37:5. Commitment involves making the decision to focus on something or someone. The Christian Walk and life should be one with an understanding of and learning to commit our hearts, minds, and bodies to the things of the spirit, which is central to a successful life.

Commit everything you do to God, as stated in Psalm 37:5. Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 14:26-28 that they couldn’t be His disciples if they do not carry their own cross and follow Him. That’s the same for us all; we all must pick up, carry, and keep carrying it in commitment to qualify as His disciples.

Staying the course of a thing is a must for commitment. How long can you wait for something worthwhile? Are you committed to holding out and holding on to the important things in life? Luke 2:25-35 tells us that Simeon waited for the Messiah, and though we weren’t told how long he waited, he was committed to seeing the manifestation of the prophecy given to him. In Luke 2:36-38, we meet Anna, an old prophetess who was totally committed to seeing the Christ, spending her days fasting and praying daily in the temple.

We are all guilty of going through the motions of worshipping God routinely, as declared in Isaiah 29:13, without committing our “whole being” as the Lord wants us to, which is unacceptable to the Lord. There is a great need for commitment in every part of life, especially in our faith. If we commit our lives and trust to Christ, we can achieve great things. God requires us to be obedient, not just accomplished. True commitment will result in obedience. If we cannot commit to God in our general daily lives and things to honour and glorify Him, how do we commit our souls to His eternal keeping?

As Psalm 37:5 says, we must commit our ways, our plans, and everything to God—a commitment that requires faith and trust to see our desires come to pass. Salvation is free, but it takes total, painful, and determined commitment to work it out, according to 1 Peter 4:19. You can’t ask too much of God; you simply need to get committed to Him.

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that I be fully involved in my service to You. May my whole being be committed to worship and glorify Your holy name. In Christ’s name, amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT’L PRAYER MIN.

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INTOXICATING PRESENCE

INTOXICATING PRESENCE

Ephesians 5:18

 

"I was under the influence." Many people have found themselves in trouble while under the influence of a strong substance, having no clue what they were doing or saying. “I didn’t know what I was doing.” Decisions and actions taken under the influence still haunt some people today. As Proverbs 20:1 says, strong drink turns people into brawlers. This is true because an intoxicated person is full of false courage and strength.

There are many things in life that can intoxicate us. When we're intoxicated, it means we're under the influence of that thing. What is intoxicating? It is the ability of a substance to make one lose some control of their actions or behaviour. People get filled, intoxicated, and then come under the influence of whatever substance they're on. This can include anything from drugs, alcohol, food, and other substances. What's intoxicating you?

When we're filled with any of these in excess, we come under the control of that thing. Therefore, be filled and drunk with the Spirit of God. Giving full control to an intoxicating substance leads us to act contrary to the norm. Being under the influence can either be good or bad depending on what's doing the influencing.

The upper room in Acts 2 was filled with the Holy Ghost, who in turn filled the people gathered, making them intoxicated and under the influence of the Holy Spirit. If you or anyone you know has ever been under the influence of alcohol, you see that the intoxicated person acts completely out of control and different from their normal self. Being under the influence of alcohol or negative substances is bad, but being under the influence of the Holy Spirit gives us supernatural experiences.

Psalm 16:11 says the fullness of joy comes from the presence of God. It is the intoxicating presence of the Holy Spirit that causes the fullness of joy. As 1 Peter 5:8 states, sober mindedness is the only way we can be fully aware of the enemy’s schemes and plots, to avoid them, which we can’t do when we are full of everything but the Holy Spirit and under their influence. Being negatively intoxicated is a source of moral and spiritual peril. The Scriptures provide numerous warnings about the consequences of excessive drinking and the loss of self-control that accompanies it.

But being full and intoxicated with the Holy Spirit gives us a supernatural high that is not found in any substance or thing. No one in their right mind will give responsibility to a person full of intoxicating substances. Even Acts 6:3 tells us that when they needed to pick leaders, they sought those who were “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” not wine. They needed men who would humbly submit to the power and authority of the Holy Spirit from being in His presence so that their actions would be influenced by the Spirit and the power and influence of leadership.

Micah 3:8 says, “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, fearlessly announcing God's punishment on Israel for her sins.” As Micah was empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, that’s the same way we too need to be full of the Spirit of the Lord, a fullness that comes from being in His intoxicating presence that influences us to declare God’s message to a desperate and wicked world.

The intoxicating presence of the Lord influences us to desire to speak on God’s behalf. Sadly, some people would only speak when they are full of other things. But we must not be found in places where we would be full of other things, as warned in Proverbs 23:20-21. The influence of the Holy Spirit is evident throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, and continues to be a vital presence in the Church today. Learn to cultivate His intoxicating presence for a victorious and righteous life.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, intoxicate me with your presence as you did on Pentecost so that I am always under your influence. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT’L PRAYER MIN.

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ZEAL FOR GOD

ZEAL FOR GOD

Titus 2:12-14

 

Zealousness is being committed and devoted to someone or something. It means being warmly engaged or ardent in the pursuit of a matter. It is the passion or fervency we exhibit over an issue or relationship. We are instructed to pursue God fervently, wisely, and righteously with total devotion.

Our faith walk must be all about promoting good works that are Kingdom agenda-based to glorify the Father. As a character of good works, we should be zealously engaged for God in service above all else, according to Psalm 69:9. Even when men reproach us for our zeal, we should gladly bear it.

How passionate are you about the work of God, the matters of the Kingdom, and your spiritual race? How far would you go to see Heaven’s mandate carried out on earth? And how actively will you engage in them?

Many of us pursue what we want with more diligence than we pursue spiritual things. Paul points out in Romans 10:2 that passion was not lacking in the Israelites; rather, they had a zeal for God, but their zeal was more for religious knowledge. Attending church and trying in their strength to be good people did not mean their zeal was for God. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to belong to the Lord. We can't have an intimate relationship with the Lord without His holiness, according to Leviticus 20:26. Intimacy with God is our highest calling and should differentiate us from unbelievers and other religious groups.

We have all misplaced our zeal for the Lord while pursuing worldly and carnal pleasures. Haman was so consumed with his gain, pleasure, and status that he misplaced the zeal for the king that got him into office in the book of Esther.

Our intense and eager passion for God should push us to forsake “other” things that may take the focus off the Lord. Whatever will cause us to lose the passion or first love, as described in Revelation 2:4, is not spiritually acceptable. We may be serving in one department in church with such zeal that we are noticed and complimented, but often this fervency is all about ourselves and earthly pursuits.

Paul had such passionate love for Judaism that he persecuted the church with the idea that he was looking out for “God,” as he says in Philippians 3:6-7. But his zeal was very personal as well, wanting to preserve what was to him his authentic Jewish background. If anyone could be said to be blameless in following the law, it was Paul. Everything he counted as gain through his passion, he finally saw as misplaced zeal.

Zeal can be a good or a bad thing, depending on how we express it and the motives behind it, like Paul. Where is the passion in prayer, studying the word, and evangelism? Most Christians now want someone else to study and come teach them; they leave the responsibility of their spiritual growth to third parties.

How about fellowship? Are you zealous for the house of God to attend fellowship however often is required? We should be like David in Psalm 69:9, declaring and allowing the zeal of God’s house to consume us. Let’s be zealous for good and God’s work.

PRAYER: Lord, as David said, let the zeal for Your house, kingdom, purpose, and will consume me fully in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT’L PRAYER MIN