Category: Devotional

2 Samuel 11:1-27

God had vested certain kind of powers in fathers. Am I despising the important role mothers play in our lives? Not at all. We shall get to there. However as fathers are being mirrored now in our devotions, I plead with mothers to pray seriously for their male children.

A father’s presence is needed in the home to produce order. The way a father lives helps his daughters to choose the kind of man they would want to marry. The father is responsible for his daughters love to marry or his daughters hatred for men.

When lady wants to decide whether to marry or not, she first looks at how her father treats her mother. Some ladies decide never to marry or enter marriage with fear because of the way their fathers mistreat, torment, and torture their mothers.

When a father becomes uncaring and wicked, his daughters think every man they ever meet in life is like their father. Hence they’re afraid. However if her father is good, she becomes optimistic of her marriage.

A father is either a killer of his daughters affinity for marriage or projector of his daughters’ desire for marriage. The virtues a daughter see in her father are a guide to knowing what kind of man to pick for a friend and husband for marital bliss.

A lady may be late in choosing who marries her even though she has a very tall list of lovers because she has never set her eyes on a father. Some ladies know fathers who are alive but dead. Will an irresponsible father start waking up from his deep slumber right now!

There’s something we call the interchange of sexes where the girls become close to their fathers and boys become so close to their mothers. The girls get so close to their fathers because they want to learn the difference their father makes with their mother. Let every man know that their girls need them so to be around them.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace enough to always remember that, if a vacuum of a father is created, girls are left to pick any male as a friend.

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

So now the king ordered a chest to be made and set outside the gate leading to the Temple of the Lord. Then a proclamation was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem, telling the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, the servant of God, had required of the Israelites in the wilderness. This pleased all the leaders and the people, and they gladly brought their money and filled the chest with it. Whenever the chest became full, the Levites would carry it to the king’s officials. Then the court secretary and an officer of the high priest would come and empty the chest and take it back to the Temple again. This went on day after day, and a large amount of money was collected. The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the construction supervisors, who hired masons and carpenters to restore the Temple of the Lord. They also hired metalworkers, who made articles of iron and bronze for the Lord’s Temple. ……… 2 Chronicles 24:8-14

Truth is scarce. Even Pilate, a governor, who judged people under him never knew the truth. Jesus told him that he was born to be a witness to the truth and Pilate said in reply: “What is truth?” – John 18:38.

Like Pilate, many of our leaders don’t speak the truth because they don’t know the value of truth. Many of the citizens they rule over, follow their example. “This is a nation that obey not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receives correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth” – Jeremiah 7:28.

Try to speak the truth among those that hate it and they make you unpopular. “Yes, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment” – Isaiah 59:15.

God expects his children to speak the and practice the truth. “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another” – Ephesians 4:25.

Some believers love to speak lies than the truth. As a result believers are looking for work in vain. Is it that there’s no work? I want to bet you, there’s work looking for those that would be faithful and truthful. Just look at the kind of workers we are looking for.

“So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it. And _when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada” – 2 Chronicles 24:13-14. Are you surprised they brought the rest of the money?

It will surprise us to know that there’s work to be done in the house of the Lord. Believers who can do the work are there. But some Pastors prefer giving the work to others who are not in the church. Do you know why? I will tell you.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace enough to know that, truth always defends, no matter how late it comes. Lord give me grace enough to always speak the truth in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen Amen Amen

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

So the people came streaming from the village to see him. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest……. John 4:30-38

Jesus prioritized his Father’s work. Nothing comes in his life before his Father’s work. He suspended anything that came in the way of his Father’s work in order for him to do his Father’s work first.

First, he even suspended rest he needed from weariness to attend to a Samaritan woman. “Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour” – John 4:6.

Second, he suspended his preference for food to propagate the gospel. The disciples urged him to eat but he told them, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me” – John 4:34.

Third, where he wanted to save his life he lost it because he wanted to do Father’s will. “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, your will be done” – Matthew 26:42.

Jesus, throughout his life on earth, made sure his Father’s work takes the first place in his life. He demands same from us. “He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” – Matthew 10:37.

He told someone to follow him. But the person preferred going to bury his father before responding to his call. Jesus rearranged his priority for him and told him: “Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go you and preach the kingdom of God” – Luke 9:59-60.

Jesus told all his followers: “But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” – Matthew 6:33. Doing anything on this earth without God’s will disqualifies you from being a follower of Jesus who prioritize his Father’s will.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace enough to always remember that, if I place God first on my priority list, He will also place me first on his superiority list. O Holy Spirit strengthen me to do Your Will by focusing on the Father’s Work first as my priority in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen Amen Amen

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village. As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:52-62

One of the greatest work ethics Jesus ever has was that he did his Father’s work first before any other work. He taught this and lived it. “But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” – Matthew 6:33.

Jesus was ready to sacrifice even his personal rest just to win a soul into the kingdom. “Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being _wearied with his_ _journey_ , sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour” – John 4:6.

When sitting on the well, the Samaritan woman came to draw water. As soon as he saw her, Jesus suspended his rest to attend to her. He was talking with her when his disciples returned from town with food and urged him to eat.

Though hungry, he suspended his preference to eat to finish with the woman. Look at what he told his disciples who were urging him to eat: “Jesus said unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” – John 4:34.

The way Jesus prioritize his Father’s will, he wants us also to do same. A certain man whose father died wanted to bury him in preference to following Jesus. This was what Jesus said to him: “Let the dead bury their dead: but go you and preach the kingdom of God” – Luke 9:60.

Even when his life is as stake, Jesus still prioritize his Father’s will. “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” – Matthew 26:42.

We are in a generation where sacrificing God in favour of doing things that are of personal interest is very common. Even weekly fellowship is dodged for doing or completing jobs, forgetting that God gave us everything we will be using to do those jobs.

If we prioritize our service to God before any other thing, we shall be following the example Jesus laid down for us.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace enough to know that, what comes first in our life is what we turn to when we’re in trouble. O Holy Spirit give me the enablement and ability to prioritise the Lord’s Work before anything else in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen Amen Amen!

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” John 13:33-36

Jesus loves. He taught that you should love everyone. “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.

He lived this principle all his life. When he was arrested, Peter slashed the ear of Malchus one of the arresters. But Jesus forbade him. “Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath” – John 18:10-11.

We are also to love the same way. “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head” – Romans 12:20.”

Jesus loved Lazarus. So when he was sick, look the message the sisters of Lazarus sent to Jesus: “Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick” – John 11:3. A simple message but it carried divine weight because of the love element in the message.

Faith to do anything in the life of man doesn’t work without love. “Faith which works by love” – Galatians 5:6. Thousand prayers of faith for you without love are vain prayers. God doesn’t only work with faith when it comes to prayer. How much the one praying loves you matters to him and how much you also love him or her also matters.

Jesus didn’t love Lazarus only, he also loved Martha and Mary. “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus” – John 11:5. Love is our kingdom culture. You can’t thrive without it.

Jesus loves you and me too. “Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” – John 13:1. Jesus sacrificed his life to show how much he loved us.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace enough to know that, love dismisses hostilities and becomes the adhesive that glues two enemies into friends. Lord Jesus, help me to love unconditionally.

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!……. “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.” Matthew 18:21-35

Another work ethic Jesus had was his unvindictive attitude towards others. He taught it and lived it. “And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” – Mark 11:25.

The disciples for whom he heavily laboured deserted him. Judas betrayed him. Peter denied him. The rest fled from him. But he rose up to give them his peace. “Jesus stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you” – John 20:19.

Today, in the kingdom in which Jesus forgave his teammates and others, a lot of people including ministers of God refuse to forgive others. A pastor could just insult his fellow pastors to his church members just because an offence.

Can’t we follow the example of Jesus, who even on the cross was asking his Father to forgive all those who offend him. “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” – Luke 23:34.

At work place subordinates hate their superiors over maltreatments, two subordinates are not in talking terms yet they are going to the same church, one is the announcer and the other is the praise leader. These are certainly not followers of Jesus!

Apostle Paul who decided to part company with Barnabas because of John Mark, later told Timothy to bring to him John Mark. “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” – 2 Timothy 4:11. Paul forgave Mark. That is the beauty of christianity.

Your heart is not designed by God to keep hurts there. You’re damaging your heart if you pile up pains from the hurts of others there. When you fail to forgive others, you deny yourself of enjoying God’s perfect peace.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give grace enough to know that, when l keep pains in your heart, l am killing yourself slowly. O Holy Spirit, take full control over my heart to willingly forgive and live peaceably with my neighbours. Take more of me and give me more of You so my life will glorify You in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen Amen Amen

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.” …………….. He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality. Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night.” 1 Samuel 15:1-11

Your licence to be distinguished among others on earth is your ability to heed to divine commands and directions. That was why Jesus was interested in delivering on divine commands. For instance, he delivered on what he has heard from the Father. “I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him” – John 8:26.

The mistake Saul the first King of Israel for instance did was his failure to heed divine directions fully. He was to wait for Samuel for seven days for to do sacrifice before their battle engagements with the Philistines.

The seventh day was not yet exhausted before Saul jumped into his mentor’s office to do the sacrifice. As soon he finished Samuel arrived. “And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him” – 1Samuel 13:10.

Saul’s failure to heed to the direction of God cost him the kingdom God has freely given to him. “And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you: for now would the LORD have established your kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now your kingdom shall not continue: because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you” – 1Samuel 13:13-14.

God gave Saul the second chance. “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” – 1Samuel 15:3.

Saul failed the test again. Look at what he did again. “The people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed” – 1 Samuel 15:15. Was that a total obedience to the direction given to him?

God couldn’t tolerate Saul’s total disregard for his direction anymore. So he rejected him from being king. “And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel” – 1 Samuel 15:26. That was Saul’s kingly demise.

If you fail to operate on current divine direction your operational licence to do anything for God would be withdrawn. If God withdraws his licence, you’ll operate on expired anointing. Operating on expired anointing will surely make you a trouble causer in the kingdom.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace to always remember that, operating without current divine direction makes me dastardly irrelevant. Lord give me wisdom and the ability to heed to Your divine commands and directions in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen Amen Amen

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

“Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there” Acts 16:6-10

Jesus did his work directionally. He received many directions from his Father such that he was always at the place where duty was calling him.

Following the cure he offered to Peter’s mother in law of fever, Peter’s house suddenly became a hospital facility to which many were gathered in the evening to be healed. “And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him” – Mark 1:34.

One would have thought that he would continue his healing ministrations there. Jesus went to pray at dawn. He received direction before Peter brought many people to be healed. He simply disappointed Peter and the many that followed him by telling them the direction he received. “And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for you. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth” – Mark 1:37-38.

Jesus was not afraid to disappoint people just to please his Father. Your challenge sometimes may be that, you want to please everybody; and at end you find yourself displeasing God. But look at this. Peter, following Jesus and saw how Jesus pleased his Father at the expense of pleasing men, was bold to tell the Sanhedrin: “We ought to obey God rather than men” – Acts 5:29.

God can give a general direction for everyone to do something for him. But you also need your personal or specific direction or you’ll be stranded. Here is Paul’s specific direction. “Delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send you” – Acts 26:17.

Paul from the start knew by divine direction that he was sent to the gentiles. So he went unto gentiles. But when they were in the region of Galatia, he received on the job direction not to preach the word in Asia. “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia” – Acts 16:6.

When they wanted to preach the word in Bithynia, the Holy Spirit forbade them. “After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered (allowed) them not” – Acts 16:7. Even though he was sent to the gentiles specifically, on the job direction forbade him to go Bithynia and Asia.

Let’s remember that we have a Lord to please. Being on our ears to receive moment by moment direction is the key to pleasing God who called us. Receiving a specific direction is not enough. On the job direction is very important. Paul fulfilled his assignment because he followed the leadings of the Holy Spirit every moment. May God give you the ability to discern his directions.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace to know and always remember that, the key to fulfilling my assignment on earth, lies in my obedience to divine direction. Lord, give me a hearing heart to discern Your leading in my daily walk to fulfill Your assignment in Jesus glorious name.

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

“One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names: ………..
When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.” LUKE 6:12-13, 17-19

Yesterday we saw that Jesus worked on two principles namely: “do another person’s work faithfully and prepare adequately before doing any work to” “ensure speedy and excellent delivery.” Today we shall look at another two ethics.

Jesus was also focused. He focused his work on Israel because that was where his assignment was centered. “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” – Matthew 15:24.

God’s grace is available where he sends you and what he wants you to do for him. It must be understood that, anytime you hear the cry of a baby born on to the earth, then you have to know there is a void in someone’s life, or at some place which that baby is born to fill.

That baby has grown to be you. So God takes total responsibility to help you fill the void you are born for. God was with Jesus because he was where he sent him and doing what he wanted him to do. “And he that sent me is with me: The Father has not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” – John 8:29.

Apart from being focused, Jesus called on his Father to help him change people’s lives, and to change the way things were done on earth. That was what prayer was to him. “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed” – Luke 5:16.

Jesus never joked with prayer. He prayed extensively before choosing his immediate helpers – the apostles. “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles” – Luke 6:12-13.

A lot of christians don’t pray adequately before choosing their partners, employees, maids, servants, those that help in the church and etc. I have been provoking our thoughts of the fact that if Jesus prayed adequately before choosing a betrayer, a denier and those that left him where he needed them most, what do you think will become of a person who prays little or doesn’t pray at all before making his choices. Let’s be ware!

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me the enablement to know that, if l fail to have focus, l shall best be defined as a person who has sight without vision. O Lord, give me grace enough to abide in my calling and to pray all the more as if it all depends on You in the glorious name of Jesus Christ. Amen Amen Amen.

AGREE WITH ME
You are a plant and you just need water to flourish and bear fruit to fulfill your destiny. So, you need to be connected to the Source that never dry. I therefore decree and declare this morning “May your business, finances, career, academics, marriage, family, health, physical person and spiritual person be connected to the Fountain of life, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”

When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, ……… Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Luke 2:42-43, 46-49

Jesus did his Father’s work. He taught that if you do someone’s work faithfully, yours will be given to you. “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?” – Luke 16:12.

That was the principle on which Jesus did his Father’s work. Since Jesus is Lord and our example, we need to follow the ethics with which he did his Father’s work. So the first principle is: “do another person’s work faithfully for yours to be given to you.”

Jesus did his Father’s work preparedly. At the age of twelve he was found in the temple learning and sharing his ideas with the elderly. He never pushed himself into work until he was thirty years. “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age” – Luke 3:23.

Apart from all other preparations he made, at age thirty he got baptized. Following his baptism, he went into the wilderness and undertook forty day fast and came back loaded with power. “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit”- Luke 4:14.

Adequate preparation before shooting out to work is the recipe for speedy and excellent performance. The reason behind abysmal ministerial performance for instance, is that, some hide behind the Holy Spirit and think that he would do everything for them.

You see, without adequate preparation, you can easily become a charlatan. This is how come we have many charlatans doing God’s work today. If a person forgoes adequate preparation before shooting out into any work, he risks labouring tirelessly with little result.

Jesus prepared for about eighteen years and work for three and half years and left yet the work he did lives on. Moses prepared as shepherd for forty years and worked for forty years after God called and left yet the Israelites reached Canaan.

No work on this earth is small. Adequate preparation puts you ahead of competitors. It makes you walk when others are crawling. It makes you run when they are walking.

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, give me grace enough to know that, when I dodge preparation, my time spent on delivery will find me out. Lord, give me grace enough to faithfully and selflessly do Your Work with dedication in Jesus’ glorious name. Amen Amen Amen.

BENEDICTION
You are a plant and you need water to flourish and bear fruit. Therefore, be connected to a Source that never dry. So l say “Fountain to every area of your life in Jesus glorious name!”