Rhapsody of Realities

Transcription

1

2

3 Rhapsody of Realities... A DAILY DEVOTIONAL Chris Oyakhilome LOVEWORLD PUBLISHING (BELIEVERS LOVEWORLD INC.)

4 Table of Contents Introduction Personal Information vii viii SATURDAY 1 Don t Let Them Live Without God 1 SUNDAY 2 Be Bold To Use His Name 3 MONDAY 3 Trust Him For A Miracle 5 TUESDAY 4 Old Things Are Passed Away 7 WEDNESDAY 5 There s Much More 9 THURSDAY 6 Praise Him 11 FRIDAY 7 There re Higher Purposes Of Prayer 13 Notes 16 SATURDAY 8 Faith Gets The Lord s Attention 17 SUNDAY 9 Christ Is Our Source And Our Sufficiency 19 MONDAY 10 The Right Songs In Worship 21 TUESDAY 11 God s Response To The Cry Of Humanity 23 WEDNESDAY 12 Maintaining Focus In Prayer 25 THURSDAY 13 Turn The Searchlight On Yourself 27 FRIDAY 14 Words Mean Everything 29 Notes 32 SATURDAY 15 Hear And Think Right 33 SUNDAY 16 Features Of Your New Nature 35 MONDAY 17 Be Conscious Of The Power That Works In You 45 TUESDAY 18 Train Yourself To Love 47 WEDNESDAY 19 God Is Love 49 THURSDAY 20 You Have An Understanding Heart 51 FRIDAY 21 Give Honour To Whom It Is Due 53 Notes 56 SATURDAY 22 Your Words Rule Your Life 57 SUNDAY 23 Help Others 59 MONDAY 24 Get His Latest Information 61 TUESDAY 25 Focus On What Really Matters 63 WEDNESDAY 26 Don t Listen To Satan s Lies 65 THURSDAY 27 Don t Complain Act On The Word 67 FRIDAY 28 Be Clothed With Humility 69

5 Notes 72 SATURDAY 29 Using The Name Of Jesus: A Matter Of Authority 73 SUNDAY 30 Keep Growing By The Word 75 MONDAY 31 Loving Jesus 77 PRAYER OF SALVATION 79 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 80 Praise Reports 81 Notes 82 Notes 83 Notes 84

6 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. KEYS FOR OTHER BIBLE TRANSLATIONS USED: NKJV -New King James Version AMP -The Amplified Bible TANT -The Amplified New Translation TLB -The Living Bible CEV -Contemporary English Version NASB -New American Standard Bible ISV -International Standard Version NIV -New International Version MSG -The Message Translation WEB -The World English Bible TNLT -The New Living Translation ASV -American Standard Version TEV -Today s English Version RSV -Revised Standard Version GNB -Good News Bible WNT -Weymouth New Testament NRSV -New Revised Standard Version MOFFAT -Moffatt, New Translation Rhapsody Of Realities...a daily devotional ISSN October 2016 edition Copyright 2016 Christ Embassy (LoveWorld Publishing) a.k.a Believers LoveWorld Inc. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PLACE ORDERS: UNITED KINGDOM: Believers Loveworld Unit C2, Thames View Business Centre, Barlow Way Rainham-Essex, RM13 8BT. Tel.: +44 (0) Fax.: +44(0) USA: Christ Embassy Int l Office, 200 E Arrowhead Drive Suite W-3 Charlotte, NC Tel: +1 (0) CANADA: Christ Embassy Int l Office, 50 Weybright Court, Unit 43B Toronto, ON MIS 5A8 Tel: NIGERIA: Christ Embassy Plot 97, Durumi District, Abuja, Nigeria. SOUTH AFRICA: 303 Pretoria Avenue Cnr. Harley and Braam Fischer, Randburg, Gauteng South Africa. Tel.: Fax.: USA: Christ Embassy Houston, 8623 Hemlock Hill Drive Houston, Texas Tel: ; CANADA: 600 Clayson Road North York Toronto M9M 2H2 Canada. Tel/Fax: LoveWorld Conference Center Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun P.O. Box Ikeja, Lagos Tel.: , , info@rhapsodyofrealities.org All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written permission of Christ Embassy (LoveWorld Publishing).

7 Introduction Hurray! your favourite daily devotional, Rhapsody of Realities, is now available in 767 languages, and still counting. The 2016 edition of the devotional has been packaged to enhance your spiritual growth and development and position you for resounding success throughout the year. The life-changing thoughts in this edition will refresh, transform and prepare you for a very fulfilling, fruitful, and rewarding experience with God s Word. -HOW TO USE THIS DEVOTIONAL FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT- Read and carefully meditate on each article. Saying the prayers and confessions aloud to yourself daily will ensure the results of God s Word that you re speaking come to pass in your life. Go through the entire Bible in one year with the one-year reading plan, or in two years with the two-year reading plan. You can also split the daily Bible reading portions into two parts morning and evening reading. Use the devotional to prayerfully write out your goals for each month, and measure your success as you accomplish one goal after another. Enjoy God s glorious presence and victory, as you take a daily dose of his Word! God bless you! -Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

8 Front cover image depicts beneficiaries of the free distribution of Rhapsody of Realities during ReachOut Slovakia Name Home address PERSONAL INFORMATION Home telephone Mobile address Business address GOALS FOR THE MONTH

9 Rhapsody of Realities A DAILY DEVOTIONAL

10 SATURDAY 1 Don t Let Them Live Without God This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4:17-18). ur opening scripture gives us the picture of the Oman that s not born again; what his spirit is like before God a very gloomy depiction indeed. Ephesians 2:12 says, That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. How could any one live without God? Such a person is dead in trespasses and sins and walks according to the prince of the power of the air, which is Satan. Awful! It shows how important it is for us to keep preaching the Gospel and interceding for lost souls. Ephesians 4:18 declares that they re alienated from the life of God. Ephesians 2:12 says they re hopeless. Those who re not born again are children of wrath ; that means they re appointed to the judgement of God (Ephesians 2:2-3). This should get you thinking about your friends, loved ones, colleagues, and associates that don t know Jesus; they re your responsibility. Don t let them die without God, for if they do, they ll go to hell, and that s not the will of God for anybody. The Bible says He s unwilling that

11 any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). You re the custodian of His message of salvation for those in your world; don t keep quiet. Preach the Gospel like never before. Intercede in prayer for lost souls. Make it your life s purpose that the sinners in your world won t die without God; and they re not going to keep living without hope. Share the Gospel with them. Let them know that eternal life is available from God now; therefore, they don t have to wallow in sin and guilt anymore. Let them know that the righteousness of God has been unveiled, and it s imparted freely to anyone who receives the Gospel and affirms the Lordship of Jesus Christ. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for making me effective in the ministry of reconciliation. I pray for those around the world who haven t known Jesus, that the light of the glorious Gospel will shine brightly in their hearts, destroying the shackles of darkness, and that they ll respond today to the call of the Spirit to them for salvation, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Ephesians 6:10-24 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Titus 1:1-16 Jeremiah 49 FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 28:19-20 Acts 26:16-18 Leave comments on today's devotional

12 SUNDAY 2 Be Bold To Use His Name Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9). t doesn t matter what the condition is or the Ichallenges that you might be facing; if you d use the Name of Jesus, victory is assured. The Name of Jesus is superior to all other names. Sickness is a name; death is a name; poverty is a name; depression is a name, but the Name of Jesus is greater than them all. Use that name! Colossians 3:17 tells us to do all things in word or deed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Name opens every door, and it s been given to you to live by. You ve been given the power of attorney to use the Name of Jesus. Fear may attack you and try to hold you in bondage, but refuse to concede; use the Name of Jesus! Declare, I refuse to fear, in Jesus Name! All of God s authority has been vested in that Name; use it against sickness, disease and death; use it against fear. We all can, and should, use the Name of Jesus. You need not fear any dangers at night or sudden attacks during the day, because we live in His Name. In Acts 3, Peter and John met a man who couldn t walk. The man was above forty years old, and had never walked from birth. Nobody ever told him it was possible for him to walk with his two legs. You can imagine that his limbs most certainly would have formed calluses from creeping all the time. But Peter, looking him straight in the eye, said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk (Acts 3:6). And that was it! The hitherto crippled man sprang to his feet, walking, jumping, and praising God (Acts 3:7-8). It may be impossible for you to get out of that negative

13 situation in your own name, but not in the Name of Jesus! In His Name, you can walk out of any trouble. The Name of Jesus is the Name you can trust; it s the Name that never fails! Be bold to use His Name. PRAYER Dear Father, thank you for giving me the power of attorney to use the matchless Name of Jesus to effect changes, and control circumstances. I walk in victory and dominion today and always, because I live in, and do all things through the power in the Name of Jesus. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Philippians 1:1-30 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Titus 2:1-15 Jeremiah 50 FURTHER STUDY: Mark 16:17-18 Acts 3:16 Philippians 2:9-11 Leave comments on today's devotional

14 MONDAY 3 Trust Him For A Miracle God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Hebrews 2:4). he New Testament gives numerous accounts of the Tmiracles Jesus did during His earthly ministry. John 2:23 tells us that many believed in Him when they saw the miracles He did. But there were also many in His day who didn t believe in Him despite the miracles. It s the same thing today; there re some who say that miracles don t exist; but theirs is a twisted opinion. Some of us have lived in, and experienced, the miraculous; we see, breathe, and experience miracles all the time. The very idea of the existence of a God is to believe in the supernatural. If you don t believe in miracles, then you don t believe in God! A miracle is God s supernatural intervention in the affairs of men. God is a Spirit, and He lives in the realm of the spirit. When you pray to Him, a God that you can t see with your physical eyes, and He answers you from that realm of life, that s a miracle. His answer to your prayers is His response, and that s what changes things. God doesn t need to respond if you don t need a miracle. You wouldn t need Him to do for you what you can, and should do for yourself. For example, He doesn t help you put on your clothes or shoes, or put food in your mouth; you can do all that by yourself and for yourself. If you re thirsty for water, He doesn t give you a drink. But if you don t have access to the water, you can act your faith and He ll grant you a miracle. When you need a miracle, it means you need

15 something that only God can do; the moment you act on the Word, He responds! He never fails to show up, as He always responds to faith. You can trust Him for a miracle for your health, finances, academics, job or business, and for your family. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). If you accept and act on His Word as others did in Bible days, you ll get the same results. This is what many are doing today, and experiencing His miracles. PRAYER Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for your presence in my life, and your glory that fills my heart! Thank you for your mercies and blessings that I experience today and always. I celebrate your grace in my life, and the power to live the transcendent life, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Philippians 2:1-18 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Titus 3:1-15 Jeremiah 51 FURTHER STUDY: Mark 9:23 Jeremiah 32:27 Luke 18:27 Leave comments on today's devotional

16 TUESDAY 4 Old Things Are Passed Away Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). hen God looks at you, He sees that whatever Wmight have been wrong in your life before you were born again has now passed away. You may not feel or think so, but that doesn t negate His truth. Besides, that s the reason He told you, because you couldn t know any other way, except through the Word. So now, you re to act on His Word. If it s true that old things are passed away, then it means you can t have inherited curses or an inherited sickness or disease. There couldn t be such a thing as a generational curse, because you re a brand new species one that never existed before. What if you were born with leukaemia or a heart condition? Well, old things are passed away, and all things are now new. The eighteenth verse explains that all the new things are of God. Leukaemia isn t of God! Heart condition isn t of God! Therefore, you say, I m a new creation in Christ Jesus; I have a brand new life, free of sickness and disease. You may still feel the symptoms in your body, but God says it s passed away; so you keep affirming the Word. Keep declaring, My body has become new. Christ lives in me now; He s given me a new life that can t be infected by sickness, disease and infirmities. The new creation is the new superman in Christ. You ve been called to a life of glory. You ve been separated from defeat, failure, poverty and a life of uncertainties into

17 a life of victory, success, prosperity, hope and assurance. Meditate on this truth today: you re of a special breed. You belong in a new class of beings the new creation infused with life and immortality; impregnable to infections, superior to Satan and the debilitating elements and rudiments of this world. Hallelujah! CONFESSION I thank you, blessed Father, for giving me a brand new life in Christ. Everything about my life is infused with divinity and speaks of your glory. Eternal life, love, health, peace, joy, righteousness, prosperity; you ve made all mine! Thank you for this extraordinary life of glory and excellence that I have in Christ, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Philippians 2:19-3:1-11 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Philemon 1:1-9 Jeremiah 52 FURTHER STUDY: Galatians 6:14-16 John 1:12-13 Romans 6:4 Leave comments on today's devotional

18 WEDNESDAY 5 There s Much More And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers (Deuteronomy 6:23). he emphasis in our opening verse is on the Tword purpose. The reason for bringing them out was so He could bring them in! This is how He wants us to approach our salvation in Christ Jesus; He saved us (brought us out of sin), that He might bring us into our inheritance in Him; our place in Him. This mentality will make a huge difference in your life; it ll completely change your destiny, and make it one of greatness only. He didn t just save us; He did it for a reason. The real message of Christianity isn t just about the Saviour Jesus. Yes, He s the Saviour, but He did much more than saving us. If saving us was all He came to do, that wouldn t be Christianity. Being saved was a means to an end. Now that you re saved, welcome to a new world, but it s much more than that. He saved us so He could bring us into oneness with Himself; our place of righteousness, glory, greatness, dominion, and excellence. Notice again His purpose for bringing them out of Egypt: it was to give them the land which he swore to their fathers; the land of their inheritance, and make them great as He said to Abraham. God had said to Abraham, I ll make a great nation of your descendants, I ll bless you, and I ll make your reputation great, so that you will be a blessing (Genesis 12:2 ISV). But they had become slaves in Egypt; that wasn t greatness. He delivered them so that His purpose for their lives would be realized; so they d become the great ones that

19 He wanted them to be. As slaves, they couldn t have the land; so He had to bring them into a place of liberty, to give them the land. Jesus brought us out of sin that we might inherit His righteousness. He brought us out of death, pain and penury, that we might have life in abundance, live in prosperity, health, and wellness every day on this earth. Now we can help those who don t know Him to discover His light, learn about Him and receive His righteousness. That s why we re His witnesses. He saved us and made us His partners in saving others. So, you see now that there s much more to our salvation in Christ. CONFESSION Dear Father, I thank you for making me a representative of your heavenly kingdom here on earth. I make students of the nations, and I influence my world with the Gospel, saving the lost, and establishing your peace, righteousness, love, joy, health and prosperity in the lives of men, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Philippians 3:12-4:1-3 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Philemon 1:10-25 Lamentations 1 FURTHER STUDY: 1 Peter 2:9 Acts 26:16-18 Leave comments on today's devotional

20 THURSDAY 6 Praise Him And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25). omething remarkable about the way Paul and Silas Spraised the Lord in Acts 16 was that they were exuberant in their praise and worship of the Lord. It was supposed to be for them a moment of gloom, loneliness and despondency, but rather than be overwhelmed with despair, they sang praises unto God. They didn t just mutter songs quietly, fearful of the prison guards, they sang as loud as they could such that the prisoners heard them. This is one of the faith-ways to respond in the face of contrary situations; you praise and worship the Lord exuberantly, knowing that in Him you re more than a conqueror. If it seems as though you re in the darkest hour of your life, don t despair! Don t try to remind God of the problem, no; praise Him! You might say, But if I don t tell Him my problems, He won t know what s on my mind ; you re wrong. He knows everything, because He s God. Take your mind off the challenges and with a grateful heart, worship and extol His majesty; praise His Name, for He s the healer, the provider, the supplier of all good things, and He s greater than all. Adore Him for He s great and greatly to be praised (1 Chronicles 16:25). Even now, irrespective of the situation, praise Him! Think about everything He s done in your life! Think about His love, mercies, and grace towards you; think about His wonderful, glorious blessings in your life, and worship Him lavishly from your spirit.

21 PRAYER Dear Father, I rejoice in you, for you re the only true and wise God; the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords! Thank you for your goodness, kindness, love, and mercies towards me today. I praise you now and forever, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Philippians 4:4-23 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 1:1-14 Lamentations 2 FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 13:15 Psalm 28:7 Psalm 150:1-6 Leave comments on today's devotional

22 FRIDAY 7 There re Higher Purposes Of Prayer Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18). O ur theme verse is quite profound. The Amplified translation makes it clearer; it says, Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. Prayer is very important. Oftentimes, when we talk about prayer, what comes to people s mind is asking God for things, making entreaties and requests; that s all they ve known about prayer. Yes, such a prayer has its place, where you make requests, but prayer has higher purposes than asking God for your needs. Praying for material needs, that is, asking God for something for yourself is actually the lowest kind of prayer. When you pray like that, you re praying at the babyhood stage; it s the prayer of spiritual babies. Someone could pray, Oh God, I need a job, or Lord, I need some money, or Dear Father, give me a car, a wife, a husband, a house etc. ; but that s the lesser purpose of prayer. There re higher purposes of prayer. One of them is fellowshipping with the Father through the Spirit. Another higher purpose of prayer is the privilege to exercise our authority in Christ. There, you take your place of authority and cause things to happen within the ambits of the power given to you by Christ Jesus. Thirdly, prayer helps us to activate and walk in the consciousness of the divine presence. Fourthly, through prayer, we enforce the will of the Father in the earth.

23 Prayer is also the exercise of the human spirit. Now, you d have to understand that there re different kinds of prayer; there s a kind of prayer that s the exercise of the human spirit. Also, all the ones we already mentioned are covered by the different kinds of prayer. You can get and study our books on prayer: Praying the Right Way and How To Pray Effectively to learn more. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for the revelation of your Word to me today, teaching me to pray accurately, in accordance with your Word. Thank you for showing me the right faith principles to apply for my prayers to produce the right results, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Colossians 1:1-23 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 2:1-9 Lamentations 3 FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 5: Timothy 2:1-3 Leave comments on today's devotional

24 The largest annual global ministry event in the BLW nation, the International Pastors And Partners Conference, kicks off in a few weeks in Lagos, Nigeria. It s guaranteed to give you a superlative divine experience and take you to higher levels of glory. Get ready for: Anointed Word-sessions with the man of God and other seasoned ministers of God that ll impact delegates with increased grace for ministry. The LoveWorld Exhibition where delegates will be intimated with the impact made by the ministry all around the world in the year The LoveWorld Archives where pastors and partners would be taken on a journey though the phases of growth and development of the BLW nation. The Exquisite LoveWorld Awards where deserving partners will be specially honoured for their exceptional partnership commitment in The LoveWorld International Music and Arts Awards, which debuts at this year s IPPC, and will be a time to recognize creativity and so much more! Don t Miss It! IPPC 2016 will be a time of refreshing, inspiration, and divine rejuvenation! Start finalizing your plans to attend this weeklong conference. For more information on how you can register, visit:

25 Notes Notes

26 SATURDAY 8 Faith Gets The Lord s Attention Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). atthew 15:21-28 tells us the story of a Canaanite Mwoman who wanted a miracle for her daughter and came to Jesus. She cried, Master, have mercy on me; my daughter is terribly sick and oppressed by the devil. The Bible records that Jesus didn t give her any attention. As the woman got importunate, the disciples of Jesus came to Him and urged him to send her away, because she kept crying after them. Perhaps she realized that her crying wasn t going to change anything; the Bible says, Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me (Matthew 15:25). When she did, it got the Master s attention and He attended to her. He commended her faith and granted her request, for her worship was an act of faith. Her daughter was gloriously healed from that very hour. When we worship the Lord, we get His attention. It s not our complaining or the duration of our problems that gets His attention; it s our faith; and worship is an act of faith. God is neither moved by the flesh, nor by long weeks of crying. He s only moved by the response of the human spirit, and faith is the response of the human spirit to the Word of God. Sometimes, people think God should respond to them because they ve been good. They d say, Lord, I m a good person; why then am I going through this situation? God isn t moved by your situation or by the fact that you re good. The Bible doesn t say, Without goodness, it s impossible to please God ; it says, But without faith it is

27 impossible to please him (Hebrews 11:6). You re to respond with your spirit to the Word; that s what gets His attention. Faith doesn t complain. Faith doesn t beg. Faith insists on, and maintains the integrity of the Word. Faith is acting on the Word, refusing to stagger or give up in the face of staggering opposition. That s what gets God s attention. PRAYER Dear Father, I worship you today. You re the Most High, the living, true, wise, and faithful God; the healer, my provider, and the supplier of all good things. I extol your majesty, for you re greater than all. Your Name is exalted, and glorified in all the earth, now and forever, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Colossians 1:24-2:1-5 Isaiah FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 9:20-22 Romans 4: YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 2:10-18 Lamentations 4-5 Leave comments on today's devotional

28 SUNDAY 9 Christ Is Our Source And Our Sufficiency For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). P roverbs 13:22 says, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just ; this is nice, but as a child of God, you have to transcend that level. You should live better and higher than waiting for the wealth of the sinners to be passed on to you. Realize who you are: you re the seed of Abraham! Your wealth and riches in Christ are inexhaustible. Sinners don t have what it takes to do the mighty and extraordinary things we do for the expansion of God s Kingdom; and that s a fact. Therefore, it ll be amiss to wait on them. Don t count on the wealth of the sinners to come to you; you re an heir of the Sovereign, living by Kingdom principles. That s your guarantee for a life of absolute abundance. Understand that there re blessings in the Old Testament that don t measure up with what we have in the New Testament. We re of the New Testament, not of the Old. You re a joint-heir with Christ. Christ owns everything; He owns the world, and so do you. 1 Corinthians 3:21 says, Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours. Why then should you be waiting on the wealth of the sinners to be turned over to you? No; you re too big for that; rather, you and your heavenly Father the Monarch of the Universe have become partners to bless others, including the sinners. Matthew 5:45 says, That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise

29 on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. We re like our heavenly Father; a blessing to our world; we never run dry, because Christ is our source and our sufficiency. CONFESSION Dear Lord, you re my Shepherd; therefore, I can never lack! I m walking in the light of my prosperity, being the seed of Abraham. I have access to wealth untold, because I m plugged into God s unending supply. Hallelujah! 1 YEAR BIBLE Colossians 2:6-23 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 3:1-11 Ezekiel 1-2 FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 9:8 AMP Psalm 23:1 2 Peter 1:3 Leave comments on today's devotional

30 MONDAY 10 The Right Songs In Worship But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him (2 Kings 3:15). t s so important to worship the Lord. Through Iworship, you set up an atmosphere for miracles in and around you, and create the right environment for the Spirit of God to operate. It may be with a song or a scripture; as you sing or declare it in worship, the presence of God can literally overwhelm your situation, resulting in a miracle. It s one of the several reasons we make music unto the Lord. The right spiritual song of worship can position you to hear from God. Once, Elisha was with three kings who came to him for counsel. But because he was offended at one of them, the king of Israel, and had responded to the king in anger, he couldn t minister under the anointing (2 Kings 3:13-14). The kings wanted to receive the Word of God from him, but he couldn t readily prophesy. So, what did he do? He said, Bring me a musician. The Bible says when the minstrel the musician played, the Spirit of the Lord came on Elisha, and he began to prophesy (2 Kings 3:15). If you ve been a Christian for so long, and you ve never heard the Lord talk to you, this might be the missing link. You have a role to play. You need to position yourself to hear Him. You need to be free in His presence, not rigid, languid, dull or uninspiring; worship Him from your spirit, with the right songs, and before long, your spirit will make that divine contact with Him, and you can hear as He ministers to you. He s a master communicator; He ministers to you even as you re ministering to Him. It s not about singing your best song; it s about

31 singing the right songs for the move of the Spirit. There s a time for your best song or your own song, but there s also a time for the right song. So, in worshipping Him, you have to sing the right songs; songs that are inspired by the Word, not just any song. It ll tune your spirit correctly and you ll hear the voice of the Lord. PRAYER Dear Father, as I proclaim your Word in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs and make melody in my heart to you, my spirit is attuned to receive divine revelations, counsel, direction and guidance, from the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the ministry of the Spirit in my life, in the Name of Jesus. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Colossians 3:1-4:1 Isaiah FURTHER STUDY: 1 Chronicles 16:8-12 Ephesians 5:18-20 Psalm 66:1-4 NIV 2 YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 3:12-19 Ezekiel 3 Leave comments on today's devotional

32 TUESDAY 11 God s Response To The Cry Of Humanity And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:13-14). ll around us, we see many whose stories depict Afrustration and despair, pain and poverty; they re broken, displaced, and helpless. Some people see this terrible picture of the needy and ask, Isn t there a God? Couldn t He have done something? Yes, there s a God; and He already did something. First, He gave us the mind to think about such people, see the state they re in, and then imbued us with the ability to pitch in and help. But you see, much greater than whatever help we could render is what He did in sending Jesus Christ to the world. Jesus is God s answer to all of man s challenges, the solution to every problem. Man needs much more than food, water, shelter, medicine and money; man needs divine life. And only Jesus gives that life. He said, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10 NIV). Sometimes, you may think if someone had a lot of money, he d be fine, but it s not true. He may still be broken and in pain, even with all the wealth. Jesus said a man s life doesn t consist in the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15). Money doesn t give life, joy, or peace; but Christ does. So, everyone needs Jesus; He s God s response to the cry of humanity. God knew that if He sent Jesus to the world, it would be the end of frustration, misery, sorrow, and darkness for anyone who believes.

33 This is the reason we preach and teach the Gospel all around the world, letting men know that it doesn t matter what their case is; in Christ they have hope. In Christ they ve been delivered; they have victory, glory, and life eternal. It makes no difference where they are in life, if they d receive Christ, He ll usher them into the transcendent life. In Christ, we re more than conquerors. Christ is the answer. He s the solution that men seek. Get to know Him, and follow Him in the Word, through the Word, and by the Word; and your life will be excellent and full of glory. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for sending Jesus to the world as the answer to man s cry for salvation, peace, prosperity, and wellness. My eyes are open to see those in need, and I thank you for making me your outstretched arm of blessing, and a minister of reconciliation, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Colossians 4:2-18 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 4:1-16 Ezekiel 4 FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 5: John 4:9 John 10:10 AMP Leave comments on today's devotional

34 WEDNESDAY 12 Maintaining Focus In Prayer For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful (1 Corinthians 14:14). ne vital element of effective prayer is focusing Oyour mind on what you re praying about. Imagine that someone is praying for the salvation of souls in a particular region of the world. He s interceding that, through the preaching and teaching of the Word, God s righteousness would prevail in the towns, hinterlands, and cities without hindrance. While at it, his mind wanders away, and he s thinking about some nice cars, houses or a meeting he s scheduled with a friend. His prayer would hardly be effective that way, and this happens to a lot of people. Focusing your mind, emotions and entire faculties on what you re praying about is very important, and praying in the Spirit is a great advantage in this regard. When you pray in the Spirit, your spirit prays; your mind is unfruitful (1 Corinthians 14:14). Therefore, it s important that you yield yourself to the Spirit by giving Him your mind paying attention to Him as you pray. That way, you ll be in sync with Him; His visions, promptings, ideas and thoughts will be clear to you. Praying in the Spirit gets you synchronized with God s will, His purpose, and timing. But your mind has a role in this; you must get your thoughts together as you pray in tongues. You might say, As much as I try, I just can t help it; my mind keeps drifting as I pray. Maintaining focus in prayer is something you do consciously. Your mind is a tool. You d have to discipline your mind to think in the direction of your

35 prayers, and switch it back to that thing you re praying about. If it wanders again, bring it back until your mind gets the message. In prayer, arrest your mind; channel your thoughts and emotions in the direction of the Spirit, and you ll receive the ministrations of the Holy Spirit. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for the tremendous blessings and impact of speaking in other tongues. As I set my mind on the realities of your Kingdom and pray in the Spirit, I m aligned and in sync with your will, purpose, and direction for me, fulfilling your perfect will and bringing you glory in all things, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Thessalonians 1-2:1-16 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 5:1-14 Ezekiel 5-6 FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 14: Corinthians 14:39 Jude 1:20 Leave comments on today's devotional

36 THURSDAY 13 Turn The Searchlight On Yourself Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you? (2 Corinthians 13:5). veryone is the expression of what he or she believes. EYour daily life is the loudest voice that gives expression to your belief. As a Christian, therefore, it s easy for you to review what you truly believe, and determine whether or not you re living the authentic Christian life by examining yourself and your actions. Turn the searchlight on yourself. Ask yourself, What kind of life am I living? What have I been like? Am I expressing the love of Christ in truth? Has the Word affected my communication, to manifest the Kingdom of God in humility and in righteousness? You need to ponder on such thoughts from time to time as you evaluate your life with the sole purpose of building and maintaining an excellent character. Be sure that you ve been putting the Word to work in your personal life. Be sure that your will and emotions are always yielded to the Lordship of the Word. Be sure that you re a man or woman of your words. Put yourself to the test and constantly evaluate your life and actions with the Word, to be sure that you re living in faith. There re lots of people who have never taken the time to look at themselves. Now, I m not talking about looking at oneself in a mirror. I mean they don t have moments of personal reflection where they truly assess themselves. It s something you have to do occasionally; measuring your

37 personal growth and progress in life, with and through the Word. You don t need someone else to do that for you. Think about yourself. Who are you? What do you really think about the message of salvation, health, prosperity, and love that you ve received? Are you still dominated by fear, jealousy, and pride? Are you one who gets angry, and it only takes the power of God to tame you? Evaluate your life with the Word today. Prove yourself with the Word. The Word of God is the infallible material to you from God to transform your life from glory to glory. It s what you need to cultivate an excellent life and character: a character of love, kindness, purity, grace and mercy. Build your life with it. PRAYER I thank you, precious Father, for the power and impact of your Word in my life. Your Word has given me the right mind-set and built in me an excellent character. I m the reflection and reflector of your glory, grace, love, truth, and righteousness. Your Word has preeminence in my life today and always, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:1-13 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 6:1-10 Ezekiel 7 FURTHER STUDY: Acts 24:16 Romans 12:2 2 Corinthians 13:5 Leave comments on today's devotional

38 FRIDAY 14 Words Mean Everything For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Matthew 12:37). he greatest gift given to man in his natural life is the Tgift of words; the ability to express himself in words. It s an extraordinary gift from God to human beings. Your inner personality comes out in words. Your words are important; words mean everything. Sadly, many haven t realized this, and it s the major reason they live ordinary lives here on earth. Everything God gave us is activated through words. Our very salvation depends on words. You received salvation by words; you maintain salvation by words. Whether you live or die is dependent on your words. Whether you live in sickness or health, poverty or wealth, victory or defeat, depends on your words. The Lord gave you the ability to speak; to use your mouth to chart your course aright in life. Your mouth wasn t given to you primarily for eating and drinking and communicating with others; the primary function of your mouth and your tongue is to steer your life in God s direction for you. Learn to talk right. Talking right means talking the Word only and always. It also means valuing what you say; learning to keep promises. Your words must have integrity; they must mean something to you. There re people who are careless with words. When they talk to you, they know their words don t mean anything because they don t plan to keep it. You must say what you mean, and mean what you say. Don t speak idle, inoperative words. In Matthew 12:36, the Lord Jesus said, But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. God holds

39 you accountable for the things you say. Don t make careless statements, for they ll produce results for you. One of the ways the world around you can see Jesus in you is through your character, which is often expressed in your words. Therefore, speak wholesome, gracious words every time and everywhere. Make it a conscious exercise to store God s Word in your heart, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). As God s Word dwells richly in your heart, you ll develop and speak the right words; gracious and faith-filled words. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for showing me the importance and value of words. I live by your Word; therefore, my communication is modelled in line with your thoughts, precepts, and direction for my life. I speak faith-filled words always, knowing that my words are filled with power to transform my life and chart my course in victory, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 6:11-20 Ezekiel 8-9 FURTHER STUDY: Mark 11:23 James 3:2-6 Leave comments on today's devotional

40 Many around the world are able to smile every morning, as they receive the light of the Gospel in their own language through the Messenger Angel, Rhapsody of Realities. Currently available in 767 languages, each new translation means that more people now have access to God s Word as language barriers are removed. So much is required in ensuring that all translations of Rhapsody of Realities are distributed every month to all men, everywhere. That s where you come in. You Can Join Us By: Sponsoring the acquisition of more languages Sponsoring the monthly distribution of ALL languages in the mission field Volunteering as a Translator or Editor Distributing translated editions of Rhapsody of Realities Each translated copy of Rhapsody of Realities represents a soul and a smile. So, for every copy you send out into the world, you send out the message of hope to a soul, and bring a smile to a face. For more information on how to make a partnership commitment, kindly send an to rortranslators@loveworld360.com or rortranslations@blwinc.org

41 Notes Notes

42 SATURDAY 15 Hear And Think Right For as he (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). hange is something we all want, should have, and Ccontinually crave; change from glory to glory. Change, whether positive or negative, results from the words you pay attention to, and the thoughts they stir up in your heart. The Lord Jesus taught His disciples to hear and think right. In Mark 4:24, He said,...take heed what ye hear. Then in Luke 8:18, He said, Take heed therefore how ye hear. How you hear is as important as what you hear, because how you hear often determines your response and attitude, as well as the ability to appropriate the power of the words that come to you. Words make or mar. Our lives are influenced by words; the atmosphere in your home depends on the words that are spoken therein. Your relationships are built on words. Our lives are so dependent on words that, not only do they affect our attitudes, they also affect our health and living conditions. Whether or not you re living in faith or in fear is a function of what you hear. Faith comes by hearing God s Word. God s Word contains positive information that bolsters faith, while fear comes through negative information. Many today have become faint-hearted from listening to media reports on the deplorable state of the world s economy. If only they d turn their attention to the Lord and His infallible Word! Job 22:29 says when men are cast down, then you shall say there s lifting up. You re in the world, but not of the world. Your prosperity and success are independent of

43 the vagaries of nature, economics, and economies of this world. Have this consciousness. Think like a victor. Live as a champion. 1 John 4:4 says, 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. Believe and accept the integrity of God s Word. Think the Word-way. God has given you His Word as the veritable agent to change and transform your life from glory to glory: But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). CONFESSION The Word is growing mightily and prevailing in me; I m making progress by the Word, heaping up success upon success. There s prosperity, joy and increase in my life, and Christ is exalted and glorified in me today, in the Name of Jesus! Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 7:1-10 Ezekiel FURTHER STUDY: Mark 11:23 Romans 12:2 Philippians 4:8 Leave comments on today's devotional

44 SUNDAY 16 Features Of Your New Nature But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23). day-old child is as human as a ninety-year-old adult; Abut there re characteristics of the human life that are yet to be developed in the child. Likewise, when you were born again, you were born with all the unique and distinct features of the recreated human spirit listed in our opening verse. Which means there s love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance in your spirit. As you study and live out the Word, these spiritual characteristics that are already in you will come to the fore; you ll manifest them in greater measure. The forces of life are domiciled in your spirit, but you ve got to cultivate them! God s life, character, and nature are already in your spirit; but you must spend time to cultivate and nurture your spirit by learning and meditating on the Word. 1 Peter 2:2 says that you should desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby. Real spiritual maturity means that you re bearing fruits of righteousness, and your fruits abide. It means the works of righteousness are being manifested in your words and actions. Train yourself to walk in love. Manifest and express joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness. Notice that the Bible says, against such there is no law. There s no law or culture that s against walking in love; love is generally accepted by all the peoples of the earth.

45 Likewise, there s no law that says you shouldn t be joyful, peaceful, patient, gentle, or kind. There s no law that forbids faith, meekness or self-restraint. These are intrinsic features of the recreated human spirit; the unregenerate man doesn t have them. Therefore, be free to lavishly express and manifest the characteristics of your new nature in Christ. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for your life and nature in my spirit, and your grace that s at work in me mightily to walk in your light and fulfil your desires at all times. As I meditate on the Word, the divine attributes of my spirit are nurtured and manifested through me to bless my world. I m an embodiment of love, joy, peace, meekness, gentleness, goodness, faith and temperance, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 Isaiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 7:11-28 Ezekiel FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 7:15-20 Ephesians 4:21-24 Leave comments on today's devotional

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54 MONDAY 17 Be Conscious Of The Power That Works In You Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21). 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. The Holy Spirit is the power of the Godhead and He lives in you in His fullness: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you (Acts 1:8). His power is working in your spirit. Our theme verse says, Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. What an inspiring thought! Notice that it didn t say, according to the power that worketh in heaven. This explains that you have a role in the operations of the miraculous and supernatural in your life. The glory of God is manifested in your life according to the power that works in you. You can trust this power, because it s the power of the Holy Spirit. Activate and put it to work at all times, and it ll produce results for you. Even though God, in His sovereignty, can cause certain things to happen for you, He doesn t want to work independent of you. Some Christians often feel discouraged and frustrated because they re praying to God to do something for them, to no avail. The issue isn t with God; they re the ones to activate the power of God in them, to

55 bring about the desired changes. Become conscious that God lives in you. His power is in your spirit. Activate that power to work for you by conscious meditation on the Word, and speaking in tongues. Bring that power to bear on anything, or any area of your life. Refuse to think failure, defeat, or impossibilities; acknowledge that the ability of the Spirit has been granted you to achieve supernatural results, and speak accordingly. CONFESSION Christ is my life and my sufficiency; He energizes me through and through and His grace is sufficient for me in all things. I can do all things through the supernatural ability of the Spirit that s at work in me, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 Jeremiah 1-2 FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 3:5 Colossians 1:29 Acts 1:8 Micah 3:8 2 YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 8:1-13 Ezekiel Leave comments on today's devotional

56 TUESDAY 18 Train Yourself To Love Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:10). veryone deserves and qualifies to be loved, Eincluding those you may perceive to be your enemies. Jesus said, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44). You don t love those who love you only; you love everyone with the unconditional love of Christ. All people are the same when it comes to love. Everyone has the capacity to give and receive love. Everyone wants to be loved, though not everyone wants to give it or respond to it. Love is the greatest power in the universe. It goes beyond cultural divides, religious barriers, ethnic differences, and social stratifications. Train yourself to walk in love. It s a conscious choice you have to make; it ll transform your life. In John 13:34, Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Tell yourself, I m going to walk in love, no matter what. I m going to love others genuinely, even when their actions aren t deserving of love. The Bible tells us that God demonstrated His love for us, while we were undeserving of kindness: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We re therefore to love like Him, as His beloved children: Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering

57 and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour (Ephesians 5:1-2). To walk with God is to walk in love. 1 John 4:7-8 says, Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. Let your life be the out-shining of His love. CONFESSION My life is the expression of the love of the Father. I abound in love today, towards those in my world, and beyond, and declare that my heart is established, blameless and in holiness before the Lord, for His love is perfected in me, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 9:1-10 Ezekiel 16 FURTHER STUDY: John 13:35 1 John 4:7-8 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 Leave comments on today's devotional

58 WEDNESDAY 19 God Is Love Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (1 John 4:7-8). ove is the totality of God s nature. This is beyond Lsomeone having love in his heart or the ability to love; it means that He s love personified. God is love! And because He s love, He doesn t have the capacity to hate; it s not possible for God to hate. Hate is of the darkness. God is light, and in Him, there s no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). The Bible says, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17). Someone may reference Romans 9:13 and ask, But didn t God say,...jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated? (Read Malachi 1:2-3). This is where understanding the place of poetry and prophecy and the dichotomy of expression in the Scriptures come in. The language of the Prophets in the Old Testament shouldn t always be interpreted at face value; you d have to look through the words of other Prophets to interpret them. You d also have to judge their communication in line with the revelation of God that we see in the New Testament, in the person of Jesus. God is love. When the Holy Spirit reveals God to you and you get to know Him, His love will dominate you. This is because the more you love Him, the more like Him you become. As you meditate on His love for you, you ll find yourself demonstrating that same love in your life.

59 You re a product of love. Let the love of God in your spirit dominate you. It s something you do. The Bible says that we should not love in words only, but in deeds as well (1 John 3:18). Be like God whose essence is love, because as He is, so are you in this world (1 John 4:17). PRAYER The love of God is expressed through me today; my communication, actions, and everything that emanate from me is an expression of the love-nature of Christ that s in my spirit. I m the embodiment and expression of the love of Christ. Hallelujah! 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Timothy 1:1-20 Jeremiah 5-6 FURTHER STUDY: John 15:13 John 17:23 1 John 4:16 2 YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 9:11-28 Ezekiel 17 Leave comments on today's devotional

60 THURSDAY 20 You Have An Understanding Heart But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things (1 John 2:20). J esus said to His disciples, it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given (Matthew 13:11). If you re a child of God, it s your divinely-given right and ability to understand the Scriptures. One of Satan s strategies is to make God s people assume that they don t have an understanding of the Word, by throwing doubts in their minds. He lies to Christians like he tried with Jesus: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread (Matthew 4:3). Satan tried to make Jesus believe that He wasn t the Son of God. So he may say to you, If you re truly a Christian, how is it that you don t understand the Scriptures? Tell him, Satan, I have an understanding heart; the Holy Spirit teaches me the Scriptures and helps me understand all things. Refuse to accommodate Satan s lies. Don t give in to his deceptions. You have insight into mysteries and secrets by the Holy Spirit. Recall in John 20:21-22, after the resurrection of Jesus, while His disciples were in a room, He came in among them and said to them, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. By imparting them with the Holy Spirit, He opened their understanding to know and understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). That same Holy Spirit lives in you today, and teaches you the Word of God.

61 2 Timothy 1:7 says you have a sound mind. That means an understanding mind. Affirm what God has said concerning you, not the thoughts the devil tries to introduce to your mind. Acknowledge and accept that you re sound, you have the mind-set and understanding of the righteous. You re highly sagacious and perspicacious. You have extraordinary amplitude of comprehension by the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! CONFESSION I m born of the incorruptible seed of God which is the Word; therefore, I have understanding of the Word. I function in extraordinary wisdom the wisdom of the righteous. My path in life is as the shining light that shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Timothy 2:1-15 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 10:1-18 Ezekiel FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 13:10-11 Luke 24:45 Leave comments on today's devotional

62 FRIDAY 21 Give Honour To Whom It Is Due Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:1-3). rimarily, honour means to show respect towards Panother. It means to give recognition to; to esteem. It also means to give preference. Our opening verse admonishes children to honour their parents. When you honour your parents, God says you ll have a long and happy life. That means God s going to specially preserve you in the earth, and see to it that you have a prosperous and glorious life. There re lots of people who re looking for jobs, and not getting any, neither do they have the right ideas to start up their own business; things aren t well with them. It s possible they haven t been honouring their parents or those whom God has placed over them. You re indebted to your parents and those who nurtured and brought you up in life. You owe them; and it s a debt you ll have to pay. 1 Timothy 5:4 AMP says, But if a widow has children or grandchildren, see to it that these are first made to understand that it is their religious duty [to defray their natural obligation to those] at home, and make return to their parents or grandparents [for all their care by contributing to their maintenance], for this is acceptable in the sight of God. The way to pay that debt is by honouring them, and giving back to them.

63 There s, however, one more inclusion to this truth. In the New Testament, when God said for us to honour our parents, He wasn t only referring to our physical parents, but also our spiritual parents. Your spiritual father or mother is the one who brings you up in the faith. The Bible says, For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15). There re those who start out well in Church and later become unruly in the house of God. They come to church whenever they wish, and speak against the leadership in the most derogatory manner. Such people aren t giving honour to whom honour is due. Honour those who have the rulership and authority over you. This is of utmost importance in the Kingdom of God, because your success and wellbeing are connected to this: Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you (Hebrews 13:17). PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for teaching me to esteem, honour, and show respect to those you ve placed in positions to nurture and bring me up in the path of truth and righteousness. Thank you for your blessings in my life; I m making progress from glory to glory, in Jesus Name. Amen. FURTHER STUDY: Mark 12: Timothy 5:4 1 Peter 2:17 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Timothy 3:1-16 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 10:19-39 Ezekiel 20 Leave comments on today's devotional

64 Enjoy Inspiring And Exciting Content On The Rhapsody Of Realities SuperUser On KingsChat Take your experience on the KingsChat mobile app to a whole new level by following the Rhapsody of Realities SuperUser account. You ll be inspired, as you receive regular posts and updates on: The messenger angel s spread and influence around the world The impact of Rhapsody of Realities Translations Daily review of the Rhapsody of Realities devotional Inspiring testimonies Prayers and confessions Rhapsody TV highlights and so much more! To enable you enjoy these exciting features, launch the KingsChat mobile app on your device, or download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, if you don t already have the app. Click on the plus (+) sign on the lower right of your screen button. Type Rhapsody of Realities, then click on the Follow at the upper right hand corner. Congratulations! You re now following Rhapsody of Realities.

65 Notes Notes

66 SATURDAY 22 Your Words Rule Your Life Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth (Proverbs 6:2). here is a spiritual language for the Christian. That s Twhy, as a child of God, you ought to practise speaking the Word only, and always, because the supernatural life is based on your tongue. Your tongue rules your life. The Apostle James likened the tongue to the rudder of a great ship, which the captain uses to direct the ship wherever he wants (James 3:4-5). In Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus said But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Literally, this means a man will go to heaven or hell because of his tongue-work; what he said or didn t say. The Apostle Paul s words on salvation in Romans 10:8-10 buttresses this: if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Your life is the character of your words. If a man s words are confusing, his life will be confusing as well. In the same vein, if your words are wholesome, your life will be perfect, excellent, and inspiring. Proverbs 15:4 says, A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Watch your words your confessions they control your future. Proverbs 12:18 says, the tongue of the wise is health. You can keep yourself in health, peace and safety with your words.

67 Talk faith, success, and increase! 1 Peter 3:10 says, For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Keeping your lips from evil means keeping them from speaking fear, doubt, and unbelief. If you ve found yourself in poverty, sickness, or anything that s contrary to the good life that s been given to you in Christ, it s because you re not using your mouth right. It s time for you to change things. The Bible says to let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Colossians 3:16). Fill your heart with God s Word and let it come out of your mouth. With the Word in your mouth, you can frame or recreate your world. Keep talking the Word. Keep charting your victorious course through the power of your words. CONFESSION I have the tongue of the wise and learned; I m cultured to speak faith-filled words that transform my life from glory to glory and change circumstances. I m propelled in the direction of God s perfect will and destiny for me, and declare that my future is secure in Christ! Blessed be God! 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Timothy 4:1-16 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 11:1-16 Ezekiel 21 FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 34:12-13 Proverbs 18:21 Leave comments on today's devotional

68 SUNDAY 23 Help Others Don t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don t give up (Galatians 6:9 CEV). eing prosperous means a lot more than amassing Bwealth for yourself; rather, it involves being able to help others. The reason God has blessed us is so we can serve Him and bless others. This is very clear when you read 2 Corinthians 9:8-9 (AMP). It says, And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever. True prosperity is looking out for opportunities to be a blessing to others. It s finding joy and excitement in helping and extending love to others. A truly prosperous person is of a benevolent spirit; he s quick to give, and derives joy from helping others become prosperous. It makes no difference if you ve had unpleasant experiences in trying to help others. Perhaps you ve helped someone become successful who eventually turned against you; don t become bitter. Keep up the good work, knowing that the Lord will reward your labour of love. Hebrews 6:10 says, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name. Moreover, Jesus said, But love ye your enemies, and do

69 good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil (Luke 6:35). Remain the helper and the giver. Remember, helping others is a gift; it s a unique ability from God. And the Bible says,...if you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies (1 Peter 4:11 CEV). As you help others, the Lord will keep increasing His grace on your life, for greater victories and successes. PRAYER Dear Father, thank you for granting me the resources, ideas, insight and opportunities to reach out to others and be a blessing to my world. I m wise and discerning, strengthened and enabled to lift others and help them succeed, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Timothy 5:1-25 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 11:17-40 Ezekiel 22 FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 13:16 2 Thessalonians 3:13 Leave comments on today's devotional

70 MONDAY 24 Get His Latest Information I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them (Exodus 6:3). ne beautiful benefit derived from constant Ofellowship with the Lord is that you re in sync with the Spirit; you re updated with new and latest information from the headquarters. Through fellowship, we receive ideas and strategies from the Father; we get to understand more, the things He wants us to do, and how to do them in accordance with His standards, desires, and perfect will. You may be doing what God told you to do, but if you re not in constant fellowship or communion with Him, you may be carrying out your assignment without the Father s latest information. As you walk with Him, the exact knowledge of His will, His plans, purposes and intents become clearer to you. Think about it this way: If you told someone to build you a house, and he comes up with a beautiful architectural design, because the house is yours, and you have and know the master plan, you could decide to make necessary changes. Even as the house is being built, every once in a while, there could be something new you want to add. You see, life is dynamic; our cities and societies are dynamic. You can t say, I created the design ten years ago, and that s the way it s going to stay; no! There re lots of changes and adjustments that ll be necessary as you get along. Human lives are that way. God builds Himself into us, and we re His instruments for building our lives, and building the lives of others. We ve got to be attuned to Him in

71 fellowship to have the latest information. You need His latest information so you can build exactly as He wants. For example, though Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew God as El shaddai, God introduced Himself to Moses as Jehovah in Exodus 6. At that moment, Moses had the latest information. But revelation has progressed even further; we don t pray to the Father with the name Jehovah, neither do we cast out devils in the name of Jehovah; we use the Name of Jesus. That s latest information, different from Jehovah, El Shaddai or any of the other names by which God was introduced in the Old Testament. Today, the Father reveals Himself in His Son, Jesus; He s wrapped Himself in Jesus: For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell (Colossians 1:19). PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you, for your Word is the most important source of knowledge. As I study the Word, my spirit is flooded with light to know and walk in your perfect will always, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 1 Timothy 6:1-21 Jeremiah FURTHER STUDY: 1 Chronicles 12:32 2 Peter 1:12 Colossians 1:9 2 YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 12:1-13 Ezekiel 23 Leave comments on today's devotional

72 TUESDAY 25 Focus On What Really Matters I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance (Luke 15:7). iving for Jesus Christ and making yourself His partner Lin building and transforming lives around the world is what counts the most in life. God did the ultimate: He gave His Son to die to bring us to Himself; to win us to Himself. So everything in your life your thoughts, ideas, the excellence in your life should be about soul-winning. Many are concerned about the lesser things of life; but you must focus on the Gospel. True fulfilment and satisfaction in life is only derived from living for the Lord, fulfilling His dream. Many get carried away by their needs or their personal dreams; that s wrong. Take your eyes off yourself; pursue and fulfil God s dream. Live your life as an ambassador and steward of the mysteries of Christ; that s what your life is for. He already said all things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:21). In Matthew 6:25, 32, 33 He said, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Don t major on the minors; fulfil God s dream. Be passionate about soul-winning; commit your life and resources to it. As you saw in the preceding verses, God

73 doesn t want anything, including your needs (for you really don t have any needs), to distract you from preaching the Gospel. That s why He made all things yours and plugged you to an unending supply. So, focus on what really matters. Be a fervent, persistent and consistent soul winner. PRAYER Dear Father, I recognize myself as your partner in soul-winning, an ambassador of the Gospel and minister of reconciliation. I live to impact my world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, turning sinners from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. I thank you for your grace at work in me to fulfil this glorious ministry, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 2 Timothy 1:1-18 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 12:14-29 Ezekiel 24 FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Leave comments on today's devotional

74 WEDNESDAY 26 Don t Listen To Satan s Lies He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44). should never expect the devil to tell the truth Yabout anything. The Bible says he speaks lies, because it s not in him to tell the truth. Imagine he tries to put the thought in your mind that you re not really born again or that you can never be a serious Christian. That shouldn t get your attention, because he s told you a lie. Recall what he did to Jesus: God had just spoken out of heaven to Jesus at His baptism saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). Now, the voice was audible enough that Jesus and John the Baptist heard it; the angels and all demons heard it, yet Satan came to Him and said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread (Matthew 4:3). Satan challenged what God said about Jesus in Matthew 3:17. Something similar happened in the Book of Genesis. God had told Adam to tend and keep the Garden of Eden, but instructed that he could eat from any tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, Satan deceived Eve and she ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He said to her,...god doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). Satan knew what God had said to Adam, but challenged God s instructions. That s the way he is; he always talks against what God has said to you or about you. He

75 could ask you, If you re truly saved, how come you don t feel that way? That s him questioning what God said in Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Your feeling wasn t what got you saved. So, don t listen to his lies. Satan will always tell you that you re not righteous; you re not healed; you re not a child of God; but don t listen to his lies. Resist him with the Word, and he ll flee. CONFESSION I m not ignorant of the devices of the devil. I stand firm on God s Word of righteousness, victory, and love today, and always, delighting myself in the Lord. Hallelujah. 1 YEAR BIBLE 2 Timothy 2:1-26 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE Hebrews 13:1-25 Ezekiel FURTHER STUDY: Revelation 12: Peter 5:8-9 Leave comments on today's devotional

76 THURSDAY 27 Don t Complain Act On The Word Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Philippians 4:6). ftentimes, you ll find certain people whose Oeveryday life is filled with pain, discouragement and defeat. You d expect such folks to be quick to accept help at the slightest opportunity; but they d rather gripe and whine about the difficulties they re going through. We find a typical example with a certain man Jesus encountered at the pool of Bethesda. He had suffered a paralytic condition for thirty-eight long years. Though Jesus knew the man had been sick for so long, He still asked him, Do you want to get well? The man didn t answer the question, but got defensive and started complaining about how he had been abandoned by everyone, with no one to help him into the pool every time the angel stirred the water. He didn t ask Jesus for help either; he ignored the important question and griped about the situation. That s the way some people are; they complain to God about their problems, blaming others and society for the challenges they re going through, instead of acting on the Word. The Bible says, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (James 1:2). Romans 8:35-37 says, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

77 When you face challenges, don t cry. Stand your ground in faith. Keep affirming the Word, knowing that greater is He that s in you, than he that s in the world. Refuse to be discouraged by the enormity of the problem. The greater the trouble, the greater the glory that ll be manifested. This is the reality. You re greater than the challenges you face. Hallelujah. PRAYER Dear Father, I m confident and grateful for the life of victory you ve called me into. All things work together for my good, including the challenges and troubles that I face; they work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Therefore, now and always, my heart is filled with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 2 Timothy 3:1-17 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE James 1:1-27 Ezekiel 27 FURTHER STUDY: Romans 8:28 James 1: Corinthians 4:17-18 Leave comments on today's devotional

78 FRIDAY 28 Be Clothed With Humility Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). s you study God s Word, you ll discover the kind of Alife God wants you to live and how He wants you to live it. He sent Jesus to the world to be our perfect example. How did Jesus live? He was clothed with humility. The Bible says, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him (Philippians 2:8-9). Notice the underlined phrase in the foregoing scripture; it shows that if you humble yourself, God will exalt you. There s no need for you to keep trying or striving to exalt yourself; just be humble. True humility is submitting yourself to the authority, influence, and impact of God s Word. True humility is receiving the Word into your heart and acting accordingly, making definite changes in your character and attitude with, and through the Word. For example, if you were in a church service listening to the Word of God, how do you respond? Do you receive it into your heart, or do you wish that the person who has offended you was listening? Don t be that way; a sign of humility is for you to always receive the Word for yourself, to change your life from glory to glory. Emulate the humility of Christ and others given to us in the Scriptures who walked in excellent humility of heart. David is such an example. Even when Saul sought to kill him, and he had the opportunity to revenge against Saul,

79 David rather put the Word to work. He said,...the LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD (1 Samuel 24:6). No wonder God described him as...a man after my own heart (Acts 13:22). What an honour to be described this way by God almighty! In your life, eschew pride and arrogance. Be clothed with humility, and God will surely promote and exalt you. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for teaching me your Word, and showing me the essence of humility, a glorious quality that attracts divine favour and promotion. I walk in love and submissiveness to the Word today, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE 2 Timothy 4:1-22 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE James 2:1-26 Ezekiel 28 FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 29:23 James 4:6 Leave comments on today's devotional

80 The Bible is extremely relevant today as it has been for thousands of years. It contains the living Word of God, and is an effective evangelical tool to reach an unsaved world. It s also a complete tool for an effective study of God s Word. This year 2016, the Year of Spreading, Rhapsody Bible sponsors are determined to spread the Gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth with the Rhapsody Bible PROJECT EVERY campaign. This special campaign seeks to reach all men with God s Word, thus, transforming their lives and careers irrespective of their locations or vocations. The Rhapsody Bible PROJECT EVERY campaign gives everyone everywhere equal opportunities to receive the Gospel of Christ. Join in this campaign today and make a difference in the lives of millions around the world. For more information on how to partner with this campaign as an individual, church, or organization, kindly send a mail to these addresses sponsors@rhapsodybible.org or info@ rhapsodybible.org or call these numbers: ;

81 Notes Notes

82 SATURDAY 29 Using The Name Of Jesus: A Matter Of Authority That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth (Philippians 2:10). phesians 1:21 talks about the resurrected Christ, and Elets us know that He s set in the heavenly places, Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age {and} in this world, but also in the age {and} the world which are to come (AMP). Here, the word rule means two things: first, it means the authority that governs; and secondly, it means the decrees by which it governs. It refers to rulership and its rules. Meaning that it doesn t matter what rule has been made, Jesus is far above all rule. He s set, not just above, or near above, but FAR above all rule, authority, power, and dominion. Hallelujah! Therefore, when you use the Name of Jesus, there s no room for doubt. God didn t even say to use the Name only if you have faith. When it comes to using the Name of Jesus, it s a matter of authority and not of faith. Think about this: While controlling the traffic, the officer doesn t need any faith when he motions to the vehicles to stop. The faith that put him in office in the first place is all that he needed. And the Bible says,...god hath dealt to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). All the faith you needed to come into Christ Jesus has been dealt to you. Now you have authority over every demon of darkness. You don t need somebody to help you cast the devil out today. In Matthew 17:5, we read God s testimony of

83 Jesus; He said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. This was addressed to everything that has intelligence, living and non-living things. God commanded them to hear and obey Jesus. The same decree was given concerning you the day you were born again. All of nature, angels, demons etc., have been commanded to hear and obey when you speak, because you stand and speak in the authority of Jesus. When you make decrees or entreaties in the Name of Jesus, it s as though Jesus Himself were speaking. Therefore, be bold to use the Name of Jesus authoritatively, to control the circumstances of your existence and tame the forces of nature. PRAYER Precious Father, I thank you for the privilege and authority to use the Name of Jesus. I live in and by His Name, doing things in the power of that Name. I walk in victory, dominion, and righteousness, making progress from glory to glory, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Titus 1-2 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE James 3:1-18 Ezekiel 29 FURTHER STUDY: John 14:12-14 Mark 16:17-18 Leave comments on today's devotional

84 SUNDAY 30 Keep Growing By The Word For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe (Hebrews 5:13). H ebrews 5:12 says, For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. Growing up spiritually requires that you feed on God s Word, for the Word is meat (spiritual food) indeed. 1 Peter 2:2 affirms this; it says, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. There was a time when you lived off milk as a child, but you got to a stage when you had to stop relying on only milk for nourishment. That s how it is with God s Word. You start with the sincere milk (the simple truth) of the Word, but you don t remain there; you progress to the strong meat of the Word. Strong meat is for those who are of full age; they ve come to maturity in Christ (Hebrews 5:14). For example, to the spiritual babe, we may say, God is going to heal you ; that s because he s unskilled in the Word of righteousness. The spiritually matured knows better; he lives in divine health; he s not waiting on God for healing. He knows how to use the Word, and live in the Word. He uses the Word to subdue circumstances and prevail against adversities. Become mature in the things of the Spirit and in the Kingdom of God; that s God s dream for you. He said in Ephesians 4:13, Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. True spiritual maturity is yielding yourself to be trained by the

85 Word of God, and living above the senses. To remain a baby spiritually is to cheat oneself and not enjoy God s best. The Bible says, the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all (Galatians 4:1). This simply means the one who s spiritually immature can t walk in his inheritance, his rights and privileges in Christ. So, keep growing in, and by the Word, and enjoy the greater glories and treasures of Christ. PRAYER Dear Father, I thank you for your Word, which is effectual in me, producing excellence and glory. I m positioned for the triumphant life through the Word, with circumstances aligning with your purpose and destiny for me, in Jesus Name. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Titus 3:1-15 Jeremiah YEAR BIBLE James 4:1-16 Ezekiel 30 FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 4:4 James 1:22 1 Corinthians 13:11 Leave comments on today's devotional

86 MONDAY 31 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22). T Loving Jesus he Lord Jesus said, If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15), meaning that the proof of your love for Him is keeping His Word. Furthermore, our opening verse says anyone who doesn t love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema (accursed). Loving Jesus isn t debatable or negotiable; it s not subject to the power of choice. It s something you re required to do. Jesus is the crown of heaven, and the joy of the whole earth. Everything in the universe revolves around Him. He s the embodiment and fullest revelation of God s love! The Father has expressed Himself and His love in Jesus. There s no better way for the Father to prove His love and manifest Himself to man outside of Jesus! Jesus is the joy of the Father s heart. All that God does is wrapped around Him. This is the reason you must love Jesus with all your heart. Someone might want to ask, But how can I love Him, when I can t see Him physically? He already said it: If you love me, keep my Word! So, it s through the Word. He rules our hearts and lives through His Word. Loving Him is loving the Word, living according to His Word. Someone once said, I believe in God, and I love God, but I don t believe in Jesus. That s a contradiction, because the Bible says, Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also (1 John 2:23). If you love the Father, you must love the Son also. Your proof of love for God is demonstrated in your love for Jesus. And there s no better way to prove your love

87 for the Master than to do His Word. Your love for Him should be expressed in your worship and in your actions as well. Your love for Him should be the greatest attraction, and the distinguishing attribute in your life. PRAYER Precious Lord Jesus, I love you; thank you for all you ve done for me. I appreciate and celebrate your glory in my life; thank you for giving me eternal life, and for loving me with such endearing and everlasting love. You re my everything; you alone are worthy of all praise, glory, honour and adoration, forever and ever. Amen. 1 YEAR BIBLE Philemon 1:1-25 Jeremiah 33 2 YEAR BIBLE James 5:1-20 Ezekiel 31 FURTHER STUDY: John 14:21-23 Leave comments on today's devotional

88 PRAYER OF SALVATION We trust you have been blessed by this devotional. We invite you to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life by praying thus: O Lord God, I believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ, Son of the living God. I believe He died for me and God raised Him from the dead. I believe He s alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, I have eternal life; I m born again. Thank you Lord, for saving my soul! I m now a child of God. Halleluiah! Congratulations! You are now a child of God. To receive more information on how you can grow as a Christian, please get in touch with us through any of the contacts below: UNITED KINGDOM: Tel: +44(0) NIGERIA: Tel: , , , CANADA: Tel: ; Tel/Fax: SOUTH AFRICA: Tel: USA: Tel: +1 (0) ;

89 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rev. Chris Oyakhilome, the President of Believers LoveWorld Inc. is a dedicated minister of God s Word whose message has brought the reality of the divine life to the hearts of many. Millions have been affected by his television broadcast, Atmosphere For Miracles, his outreaches, crusades, magazines, as well as several books and audio-visual materials, which minister the reality of the Word of God in truth, simplicity and power. Learn more about Christ Embassy a.k.a. Believers LoveWorld Inc. on

90 I VE FOUND MY PURPOSE IN LIFE THROUGH RHAPSODY OF REALITIES I came in contact with Rhapsody of Realities through my older brother, who also got his copy through a friend. As a young Christian, I knew God s calling was upon my life but didn t know how to respond to the call. When I started reading Rhapsody of Rhapsody, it was very inspiring that I read the entire edition in one day. By the time I was done reading, I couldn t sleep that night because I was so full of the Holy Ghost and I spoke in other tongues. The Spirit then began to reveal to me exactly what He wanted me to do. Now I m a teacher of the Word, teaching foundation class in my local church and a partner too. I m so grateful to God for Rhapsody of Realities. -E. Mwesige; Uganda DELIVERED FROM THE SPIRIT OF LUST THROUGH RHAPSODY OF REALITIES Sometimes last year, I was struggling with incessant lust and didn t know how to come out of it. On this fateful day, I came in contact with Rhapsody of Realities, which was the very solution I needed. I started reading the devotional and came across an inspiring article which talked about inward sins and outward sins. In the article, Pastor Chris said that inward sins are sins of the spirit, and God can see them even though others can t. I began to deal with the situation from my spirit and applied the Word, speaking and meditating intently on the Scriptures. As I studied, I felt like a fire going through my body and ever since, I ve been free from lust. Praise God! A LIFE OF GLORY AND VICTORY -J. Dapaah; Ghana What a life we have in Christ Jesus! Rhapsody of Realities has ushered me into a life of glory and victory. I never believed I could live the life of a king and manifest the glory of God until I read Rhapsody of Realities. Now I know that I m exceptional and special. I have the grace of God on my life. I ve been enriched with the Word of God for my salvation and prosperity. I m blazing new trails! Thank you Pastor Chris for showing me the true path of righteousness and glory in Christ! -R. Akpaeze; Nigeria

91 Notes Notes

92 Notes Notes

93 Notes Notes

94

95