Beware of metal gongs

 DAILY SHOWER January 14, 2023 Devotion and Declarations

Prayer before the Word: 

 _ O God, I thank You for yet another day. I magnify Your name because You are my God and all I have. Please, use me according to Your will and prosper me in Jesus name, Amen_ 

TODAY’S TOPIC: Beware of metal gong

Text: Matthew 23:1-10 (NIV):

"23:1. Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

23:2. "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

23:3. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

23:4. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

23:5. "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;

23:6. they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;

23:7. they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'

23:8. "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.

23:9. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.

23:10. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ."

SHOWER (Reflection):

Metal gongs are like Good speakers. The sound of metal gongs can even woke up a dead person. It can make you dance when you are moody or do some other things. But a look at it shape, shelter, design and so on will never entice you. It can make you hate it or yourself because it is empty inside. We have people like that; I see as you good speakers. They are those who speak eloquently, those who are fluent in one or more languages. When you hear them address you or the crowd, you will be marvelled and even give your life to Christ.  However, their behaviour are direct opposite of their speeches. They are the people our Lord Jesus Christ describes as teachers of law in today's scripture. They are not worth following because they are hypocrites. They are praise singers. If you follow their footsteps will likely fail. In this 2023, let your yes be your yes and no be no. Only that will help you realise your aims and finally, heaven. 

PRAYER/DECLARATIONS

1. O God my father, fill me with Your spiritual detergents and wash me to be whiter than snow. So that by my speech and footsteps, the world will worship You...in Jesus name, Amen.

2. O God arise with Your fire, burn to ashes every idolatry, principalities or powers that have vowed to displace me in my throne of glory. In Jesus name, Amen!

3. By Your mercy O Lord, I must celebrate that marital vow or promotions You have destined for me this year. In Jesus name, Amen!

Go on, explore and celebrate all through 2023!!!

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Believe and be set free

 DAILY SHOWER January 13, 2023 Devotion and Declarations

Prayer before the Word: 

 _ O God, I thank You for yet another day. I magnify Your name because You are my God and all I have. Please, use me according to Your will and prosper me in Jesus name, Amen_ 

TODAY’S TOPIC: Believe and be set free

Text: John 4:45-54 (NIV):

"4:45. When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.

4:46. Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.

4:47. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

4:48. "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

4:49. The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

4:50. Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

4:51. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.

4:52. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."

4:53. Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

4:54. This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee."

SHOWER (Reflection):

Believe and be set free. The kingdom of God is for those who believe without waiting to see a miracle first. What you are requesting for may be hanging before you and required your urgent attention (believe) to manifest. Believe is faith and faith is believing. A royal officer asked Jesus to visit him to heal the child. But was told to go home that the sick has been healed. He believed at once; left without doubting, murmuring or arguing. We ought to build such kind faith in Christ Jesus. He has told us that will get job, marry, build houses, travel or whatever. Be careful and work your salvation now by believing.

PRAYER/DECLARATIONS

1. O Jesus, I have heard and internalise your message. Lift and empower me to become great in my career, business or work; in Jesus name, Amen.

2. By the power in the blood of Jesus Christ, I fire back on every principality and power on assignment to frustrate me this year. In Jesus name, Amen!

3. O God arise, uproot every wickedness in my foundation it... In Jesus name, Amen!

Go on, explore and celebrate all through 2023!!!

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Can light and darkness mingle together?

 DAILY SHOWER January 12, 2023 Devotion and Declarations

Prayer before the Word: 

 _ O God, I thank You for yet another day. I magnify Your name because You are my God and all I have. Please, use me according to Your will and prosper me in Jesus name, Amen_ 

TODAY’S TOPIC: Can light and darkness mingle together? 

Text: 1 Corinthians 10: 14-22 (NIV):

"10:14. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

10:15. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

10:16. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

10:17. Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

10:18. Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?

10:19. Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?

10:20. No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.

10:21. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.

10:22. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

SHOWER (Reflection):

It is painful that youth of today are going down everyday. Many are returning to idolatry in full force. But most surprising thing about the idolatry converts, is that majority of them are either from Christian homes or Church goers. Can darkness and light go together? No! That is the central message of today's teaching. We must try to distinguish ourselves from the world. There is no gain stressing the fact that children of God ought to be the light. This year 2023 does not want it. If you really desire the next level, you must change your seat and sitting position. Be a Christian and live like a Christian. Don't go here and there to avoid incurring the anger of God. 

PRAYER/DECLARATIONS

1. O Jesus, I am your child. I forsake idolatry and all that concerns it. Use me and perfect me for Your kingdom in Jesus name, Amen.

2. By the power in the blood of Jesus Christ, I set ablaze every wicked power and idolatry foundation that is eating me down. In Jesus name, Amen!

3. Every spirit of death or failure hunting me about this year, by the power in the blood of Jesus Christ,  I set you on fire. Die die die die die... In Jesus name, Amen!

Go on, explore and celebrate all through 2023!!!

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Do not keep quiet

 DAILY SHOWER January 11, 2023 Devotion and Declarations

Prayer before the Word: 

 _ O God, I thank You for yet another day. I magnify Your name because You are my God and all I have. Please, use me according to Your will and prosper me in Jesus name, Amen_ 

TODAY’S TOPIC: Do not keep quiet 

Text: Ezekiel 2:1-10 (NIV):

"2:1. He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you."

2:2. As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

2:3. He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day.

2:4. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.'

2:5. And whether they listen or fail to listen--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them.

2:6. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house.

2:7. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.

2:8. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."

2:9. Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,

2:10. which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe."

SHOWER (Reflection):

As long as you are a child of God, you must not be deterred from speaking out. God has instructed us to speak out against evil, to preach or proclaim His good news to the world, set the bounds free and heal the brokenhearted. What is affecting your business, health or whatever may be your inability or refusal to manifest that power of God in you. This year must not pass you by. In today's teaching, you can see how God raised Ezekiel for a special assignment of talking to a very stubborn people. God insisted that he must talk to them despite their stubbornness. He did same to Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Caleb and others. Our God always choose the unqualified to qualify the call. If you keep delaying, it will be very dangerous and affect you badly. Stand up, think well today, discover that light and shine it through for Christ manifestation around you. 

PRAYER/DECLARATIONS

1. O Jesus, I am sorry for running away from Your purpose for me. Touch me again, and manifest that Your call or purpose in me. In Jesus name, Amen.

2. O God arise in your power and majesty, burn to ashes every principality and power that is still creating fears around me in Jesus name, Amen!

3. Whether the enemies like it or not, I will never beg for bread this year. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!

Go on, explore and celebrate all through 2023!!!

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Do not miss your opportunity to shine

 DAILY SHOWER January 10, 2023 Devotion and Declarations

Prayer before the Word: 

 _ O God, I thank You for yet another day. I magnify Your name because You are my God and all I have. Please, use me according to Your will and prosper me in Jesus name, Amen_ 

TODAY’S TOPIC: Do not miss your opportunity to shine

Text: John 4:7-14 (NIV):

"4:7. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"

4:8. (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

4:9. The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

4:10. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

4:11. "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?

4:12. Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

4:13. Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again

4:14. but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

4:15. The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

SHOWER (Reflection):

Missed opportunities come but once. We are often confronted by it or them. But we are not always concerned with how to utilise it. Here is a woman (in our today's scripture), telling Jesus (with pride) that she wouldn't give him water because of tribal and religious differences. This is a man she didn't know abinitio. She further gave other reasons which according to her, were why she was determined to loose her opportunity. A lot of us have done that in the past. Some shunned, stumbled upon and disgraced those destined to marry then. Please, do not allow denominations, tribe/race and so on to prevent you from accessing the hidden treasures God deposited for you somewhere this year. You must be truthful, depend and seek His face to direct you accordingly so that you will drink the water of life. Do not allow your job, career and others to deprive you of water of life Jesus has got you. 

PRAYER/DECLARATIONS

1. O Jesus, open my eyes to see reasons to serve You alone and enjoy the heavenly and earthly benefits, Jesus name, Amen.

2. My God is reigning. I will reign. My God is king of opportunities. I will enjoy all this yearmJesus name I pray, Amen!

3. O God arise, frustrate, punish and put away from me forever anything made by hand of man to terminate my life this year, in  Jesus name, Amen!

Go on, explore and celebrate all through 2023!!!

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There is reward for all works

 DAILY SHOWER January 09, 2023 Devotion and Declarations

Prayer before the Word: 

 _ O God, I thank You for yet another day. I magnify Your name because You are my God and all I have. Please, use me according to Your will and prosper me in Jesus name, Amen_ 

TODAY’S TOPIC: There is reward for all works 

Text: 1 Corinthians 9:10-18 (NIV):

"9:10. Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.

9:11. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?

9:12. If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

9:13. Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?

9:14. In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

9:15. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.

9:16. Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

9:17. If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.

9:18. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it."

SHOWER (Reflection):

Brethren, welcome to second week and second Monday in the month of January 2023. We are gradually moving and progressing from happy new year to another month. If you haven't started laying your hands on legitimate business or works, I will advice you start now because the year has gone far. Don't wait or expect a rush hour. There is reward for everything we do. So do not neglect good services to God and people. In today's teaching, Apostle Paul is directly and indirectly encouraging us to double our efforts in the services of God. Rewards abound in every work we do; good rewards for good work, and bad rewards for bad works. You must engage in rendering different services to God this year. You can join ushering units, choir, evangelism or whatever in your church to promote the gospel. We have some great musicians, guitarists, etc. today who realised their talents/skills in the industry from been committed choristers. What of broadcasters, receptionists, customer relations/business Executives, etc. who rose from services in church units like ushering, Communication department or others. Go on and explore the works of God. The Spiritual rewards will lead you to physical and financial rewards abound in them in Jesus name, amen. 

PRAYER/DECLARATIONS

1. O Jesus, I thank You for feeding me this morning. I pray for power to internalise and utilise what I have learnt in Jesus name, Amen.

2. O God arise, kill and burn to ashes, every spirit of indecision, fear or discouragement targetted against my celebrations this year. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!

3. By the power in the blood of Jesus Christ, I shall continue to rise, defeat and trample upon the enemy because I am an overcomer; in Jesus name, Amen!

Go on, explore and celebrate all through 2023!!!

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Your choice shall make or mar you

 DAILY SHOWER January 08, 2023 Devotion and Declarations

Prayer before the Word: 

 _ O God, I thank You for yet another year. I magnify Your name for crossing me over to the year 2023. Because You made it possible, I will forever praise and worship You in Jesus name, Amen_ 

TODAY’S TOPIC: Your choice shall make or mar your day

Text: John 3:15-21 (NIV):

"3:15. that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

3:17. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

3:18. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

3:19. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

3:20. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

3:21. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

SHOWER (Reflection):

Welcome to a new day, brethren. God alone be praised! Choice is very important in life. God upon creation made it possible for all to enjoy it. It can make or mar your future, or ruin your life in it's entirety. In today's message, God reminded us how God in His infinite mercy gave us His son that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life. He didn't force Jesus on the world even though He can do that. Our own is to only believe in Him, believe that He was sent, believe that He saves, heals and is the light. Unfortunately, many are not seeing these virtues as reasons to choose Him. Listen, you are doing yourself more evil than good for making a wrong decision. When you make a wrong decision, you are to suffer it. None will feel the pain but you. So, be careful. Make that right decision now; which is to follow Him today and throughout this year. God does not and will not forsake you. Forget the former things. Follow Him this year; you will surely testify at the end. 

PRAYER/DECLARATIONS

1. O Jesus, help me to make informed decision; a decision to follow only You in Jesus name, Amen.

2. By the power in the blood of Jesus Christ, I vomit and set on fire, anything in me that is not of God. In Jesus name, Amen. 

3. O God arise, cleanse and reposition me to serve only You this year. In Jesus name, Amen!!!

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