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DAY 19
Take off those old clothes!
Put off... your old self... put on the new self’ Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

THERE ARE SOME ‘OLD CLOTHES’ you’ve got to take off when you commit your life to Christ: old thinking patterns, old attitudes and old behaviour. You may not even want to admit that you’re still wearing them but the truth is that you can’t put on the new self until you first take off the old one. Furthermore, you can’t hang your old clothes in a wardrobe for a rainy day or toss them on the floor to be tripped over; you’ve got to get rid of them! Listen: ‘Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour... Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need’ (Ephesians 4:25-28 NIV). You ask, ‘Is such a lifestyle possible?’ Yes! Because God’s Spirit lives within you, you don’t have to a) tell lies to advance your position; b) steal to be prosperous; c) be dishonest to achieve your goals; d) use anger as a control mechanism; e) engage in corrupt communication. When you choose to live this way, you are literally ‘taking off the old self and putting on the new one.’ Commit yourself to living that way starting today.

Prayer Point
Thank You Lord that You provide the ability for our lives to change, that in You we can exercise grace when we don’t want to, experience joy when we feel we can’t. Lord, we can truly live a life given over to You, we just need to open our hearts to the depth of Your love for us. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today, Lord, so that I can walk upright, understand Your will and give more time to You. Amen!

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DAY 20
The formula
'Be very careful, then, how you live’ Ephesians 5:15 NIV
IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5, Paul gives us the formula for a happy, fulfilling life. Let’s look at it today. 1) ‘Walk circumspectly’ (v.15 NKJ). The word circumspect means ‘to be disciplined in your thoughts, speech, actions and motives.’ Your wandering stage is over. It’s time to enter the Promised Land, drive out the enemy and take what belongs to you. 2) ‘Redeeming the time’ (v.16 NKJ). No more wasting your life on worthless diversions. Get serious! Begin each day by praying, ‘Father, thank You for this day. Some were alive yesterday, who didn’t live to see this one. I accept it as a gift from You and commit myself to maximizing every moment, for Your glory.’ 3) ‘Understanding what the Lord’s will is’ (v.17 NIV). The word ‘understanding’ here means ‘to make sense of.’ Often people say to us, ‘Hey, what’s happening?’ That’s because most of the time they don’t know. But we do, for our steps are guarded, guided and governed by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). 4) ‘Be filled with the Spirit’ (v.18 NIV). You ask, ‘How?’ Listen: ‘Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:19 NIV). You can be Spirit-filled wherever you are. When it’s not appropriate to sing, ‘make melody in your heart!’ When there’s no one around to talk to, ‘speak to yourself’ in psalms! That’s the formula for a happy fulfilling life.

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DAY 21
A New Measuring Rod
But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank and the leader should be like the servant’ Luke 22:26 NLT

IN THIS DEVOTIONAL, we speak often about goalsetting, perseverance, motivation and destiny. And we should, for without a goal, a strategy and a committed heart, you’ll never fulfil your life’s purpose. But in your quest for success and your striving for recognition, Jesus gives you a new measuring rod. Listen: ‘Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? …But… I am among you as one who serves.’ (Luke 22:27 NLT). In Jesus’ day, the washing of feet was a task reserved not just for servants but for the lowest of them. Every circle has its ‘pecking order’ and the circle of household workers was no exception. The servant at the bottom was expected to be the one on his knees, with the towel and the basin. What a sight; the One here with the towel and the basin is Jesus! Think: the hands that shaped the stars now wash away filth. The fingers that formed the mountains now dry the feet of crude Galilean fishermen. Hours before His death, His concern is singular: to let His disciples know that in His Kingdom, the way up is down, the way to the top is not through intelligence or manipulation but through humility and service to others. Living this way is not natural, it’s supernatural; you can do it only as you surrender daily to the indwelling power of His Spirit.

Prayer Point

Create in me a new heart, Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. Lord, I want to live each day guided by your Holy Spirit, to do whatever You want me to do. No more offering to serve and then choosing what not to do; Lord, I’m in this for life, whatever it takes. If Jesus could die on a cross to deal with my sin, the least I can do is offer my life back in service to Him. Thank You for this great opportunity.

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DAY 22
Call it grace!
The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness’ Exodus 34:6 NIV

GOD LOVES YOU just as you are, but He loves you too much to let you stay that way! Do you think God’s love for you would be stronger if your faith was stronger? No. You’re confusing God’s love with human love. Human love increases with performance and decreases with mistakes. But not God’s love; He loves you just as you are right now. Do you have trouble accepting that? Listen to how God introduces himself: ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness’ (Exodus 34:6 NKJ). Awesome! In spite of his terrible failures, David could say, ‘I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all to convince you, Paul writes, ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Romans 5:8 NIV). Get rid of your do-it-yourself righteousness. Salvation is not ‘Do! Do! Do!’ It’s ‘Done! Done! Done!’ It’s a finished work. You can add nothing to it. You stand before Him in His Name and in His righteousness, not yours. Perhaps you’re saying, ‘It sounds too easy.’ Wrong! There was nothing easy about it! The cross was heavy, the blood was real and the price was staggering. It would have bankrupted you and me, so He paid it for us. Call it simple, call it a gift, but don’t call it easy. Call it what it is; call it grace! generations.’ (Psalm 89:1 NIV). And if you need more.

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DAY 23
The Prayer of Jabez
Oh, that You would... keep me from harm’ 1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV

BE CAREFUL! Success can dull your sense of dependence and make you presumptuous. It can give you a wrong (and dangerous) view of your own strength. That’s why Jabez prayed, ‘Lord, when I’m successful, keep me from harm.’ Onequarter of the Lord’s Prayer is asking for protection. David and Solomon didn’t get into trouble until they became kings. Wise up! Someone has said, ‘Danger is not being on the edge of the precipice, it’s being unwatchful there.’ Too many of us ‘blow it’ because we think we’re immune to the pitfalls that claim others. You’re no match for the devil! He approached Adam and Eve at the peak of their performance and crushed them with one conversation. Stay out of places you shouldn’t be in! Watch for things that feed your carnal nature! Refuse to walk with those who are not going God’s way! Bruce Wilkinson tells of a Roman gladiator in big trouble. Somehow he’s dropped his sword and the enraged lion, seeing its opportunity, is in mid-lunge, jaws wide open. In horror the gladiator tries to flee. The caption reads, ‘Sometimes you can’t afford to come in second!’ The best strategy for defeating a roaring lion is to stay out of the arena. That’s why Jabez’s final request in prayer was, ‘Lord, keep me from harm.’ You need to pray that prayer today too!

Prayer Point ;

Lord, never let me be so confident in my ability that I forget there is an enemy out there. Keep my heart close to Yours, Lord, and keep me, as Jabez prayed, away from harm. Lord, may any success I have would be credited by people to my relationship with You. When I meet people, Lord, help me find out what makes them tick, so that before I write them off, I could share this prayer of Jabez with them too.

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DAY 24
Before You Pass Judgment'
'God’s people should be bighearted and courteous’ Titus 3:2 TM

DID YOU HEAR about the two taxidermists who stopped to look at an owl which was on display in a window? Immediately the criticism started. Its eyes weren’t natural; its wings weren’t in proportion to its head; its feathers weren’t properly arranged. Just as they started to walk away the owl turned its head and winked at them! going to do about it? What would Jesus do? Will my actions add to the problem or to the solution? If the situation was reversed and I was on the other end, what would I need? Am I magnifying something which, in a month or two, will make little or no difference but could hurt my future relationship with this person? Before you pass judgement, ask yourself these questions: Have I waited long enough to get all the facts? What do I not know yet? Am I relying strictly on what I’ve heard? Am I eager to believe the best or think the worst? If mistakes have been made, do I feel that gives me the upper hand? If so, what am I Listen carefully to this verse: ‘Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticise their faults – unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier.’ (Luke 6:37 TM). Now, there are words to live by!

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DAY 25
How Can I Make It UP To You
'My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in’ Psalm 27:10 TM'

HAS DEATH OR DIVORCE robbed you of a parent? Are you still grieving for lost hugs and birthdays without bicycles? The loss of these things can cause you to struggle all your life to find your identity. When you grow up listening to endless arguments but never seeing affection, it’s easy to think that’s normal, then later you find yourself asking, ‘How should I act as a parent? And why do I still feel like a lost child?’ David said, ‘My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in’ (Psalm 27:10 TM). How wonderful! God can hold you and heal your pain. When you’re hurting, He can put you on His couch and be your ‘Wonderful Counsellor’ (Isaiah 9:6 NIV). When you feel like an orphan, He can be to you an ‘Everlasting Father’ who doesn’t abandon His kids, no matter what. With Him you’re always safe and protected because that’s what loving fathers do. You’re His child, which means if something’s important to you, it’s important to Him too! What’s more, He can send people into your life who’ll be to you, the father, the mother, the brother, or the sister you never had. Listen, ‘God sets the lonely in families’ (Psalm 68:6 NIV). Don’t be so focused on your losses that you fail to see Him at work, or recognise those He sends into your life to make it better.

Prayer Point

Lord, I no longer want to be a victim but a victor in You. If You can make the sun rise today, You can bring good things into my life and build a sense of peace within me. Help me overcome all the things of my past that told me I couldn’t have a good life. Lord, also teach me Your ways, help me spend more time learning of You, that my joy in life would be built on You in Jesus’ Name. Amen

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DAY 26
Have a set time
‘Every morning, I tell You what I need, and I wait for Your answer 5;3 NCV

DR. MIKE MURDOCK SAYS,
‘What you do daily, determines what you become permanently.’ He’s right! ‘But is it really necessary to spend time with God early in the morning?’ you ask. Any moment spent with God can change you, but don’t you think it’s wise to plan your trip before you take it? Why enter the day without a sense of His direction and peace? Is any voice more important than His? Or more reliable? If you’re struggling to rise early and pray, start doing these three things: 1) Set an achievable goal. Don’t focus on getting up an hour earlier, try 15 minutes! You can always add to it. When you set impossible goals, you create the inevitability of failure instead of memories of success. 2) Learn how to enter His presence. Listen: ‘Come before His presence with singing’ (Psalm 100:2 NKJ). God loves music. He responds to worship and singing. Music can actually lift your spirit and dispel your fear. When King Saul was depressed, we read that ‘David would play the harp... and the tormenting spirit would go away’ (1 Samuel 16:23 NLT). Try it! 3) Educate those around you, concerning your new prayer time. Few things are more impacting than watching a person with a consistent prayer life. Without saying a word, you’ll challenge those who don’t pray and thrill those who do. They may even want to join with you. So remember, what you do daily determines what you become permanently!

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DAY 27
Where Is The Bread?
'The Bread of the Presence’ Numbers 4:7 NLT'

BREAD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT symbolised God’s presence. That’s why Numbers 4:7 refers to ‘the Bread of the Presence’. When famine drove Naomi and her family out of Bethlehem (House of Bread), they left for the same reason people leave churches today – no bread! Tommy Tenney writes: ‘Why do so many people flock to clubs and bars looking for crumbs? Because they tried the church and found only old recipes and cold ovens; there was no presence of God in the pantry. For some churches, it’s a pride thing; through tradition, they try to preserve the image of where God’s been, at the expense of where He is now! They talk about what He used to do; but what about now? It’s time we set aside our personal agendas and man-made games; it’s time to say, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30 NKJ). ‘When people experience the presence of God, it overrides human theologies and changes hearts. Why? Because someone with an experience is never at the mercy of someone with an argument. On the other hand, when people experience only a hint of God mixed with other things, it immunises them against the real thing. ‘The problem isn’t that God’s not in the church, it’s that sometimes there’s not enough of Him to make the needed difference! Ezekiel said, ‘I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the Temple’ (Ezekiel 47:1 NIV). If living water is to reach this generation, it must first flow down through the church aisles and out through us!’



Prayer Point

Lord, let me be the answer to people’s need. Let me be wise, Lord, that the words I speak and the actions I take could draw people to Christ. Let me be bold, Lord, that I could speak to the issues in my own life to bring change for the good, that others might see I rely on You. Father, I pray that I might become an example of what living in God’s Kingdom truly is. Amen!

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DAY 28
Speaking God's Language
'Say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up…”’ Mark 11:23 NLT'

IF YOU’VE BEEN praying till you’re blue in the face, the answer may be right under your nose; your mouth! Stop talking about your mountain and start talking to it! Listen: ‘Whoever says to this mountain, “Be... thrown into the sea!” and does not doubt... it will be done’ (Mark 11:23 Amp). How do you talk to a mountain? 1) By using God’s Word. When satan tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus responded three times, “It is written,” and satan couldn’t stand up to Him. The enemy doesn’t respect what you say but he trembles every time God speaks because His Word is powerpacked. Satan hopes you never discover that! 2) By being persistent. Ever wonder how you can hammer a rock 99 times and nothing happens, yet on the hundredth blow it shatters? That’s because all the previous blows weakened it. Keep speaking God’s Word in faith over your situation and ‘It will be done.’ 3) By forgiving. One pastor asked his congregation, ‘How many of you are willing to forgive your enemies?’ Everybody was, except one old guy. ‘Why won’t you forgive your enemies?’ the pastor asked. ‘Because I have none. I’ve outlived them all!’ Jesus said, ‘Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive’ (Mark 11:25 Amp). Before you can speak to a mountain of trouble, and get results, you must first speak forgiveness to others. God’s promises depend on your obedience. Listen: ‘If you will listen diligently... watchful to do all His commandments... these blessings shall come’ (Deuteronomy 28:1-2 AMP). That’s how you talk to a mountain!



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