Thoughts of Our Fathers (TOF)

[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy.
—Colossians 1:11

Everything we undertake in life has a beginning and an end. Typically, we are excited at the beginning of an opportunity, a relationship, or a venture; we’re also happy when we can celebrate our achievement and have the satisfaction of a fulfilled desire. But between the beginning and the end, every situation has a “middle”—and the middle is where we often face our greatest challenges.

Between our beginnings and our endings, we must develop the determination necessary to overcome the difficult circumstances we encounter in the middle. We can be people who finish what we begin. And we can be thankful that we don’t have to do it alone—God will help us if we let Him.

You may be in the middle of something right now. Whatever you find yourself in the middle of, ask God for His strength and wisdom, discipline yourself a little while longer, and determine to see it all the way through to the finish.

Prayer of Thanks: I thank You, Father, that I am not alone in the middle of this situation. You are right here with me, and You are giving me the strength I need. With Your help, I am determined not to quit. I’m going to see this through and give You the glory with a successful finish!

Memorise: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1
Read: 2nd Kings 5:20-27 (KJV)

20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.


21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?


22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.


23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.


24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.


25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.


26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?


27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.




Bible in one year: Genesis 36-37, Isaiah 51:17-52:12
MESSAGE:
Holiness is so integral to the person of the Holy Spirit that the word “holy” is attached to His Name. You cannot live the Christian life without having a relationship with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9); but to have a good relationship with the Holy Spirit, you need to understand that He detests sin. 6 March 2017 open heaven. Part of His assignment in this world is to liberate you from the power of sin and to help you live above it (John 16:8, Romans 8:2, Galatians 5:16). Two sins entangling a lot of Christians today and fast eroding their character are stealing and lying. Stealing has its origin in covetousness and it leads to betrayal. The life of Judas Iscariot, a man who walked with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, is a case study of this (John 12:6). Today, due to covetousness, even ministers of God are stealing from the Church purse, thereby betraying the huge trust reposed in them by God. Have you been stealing from God or from men? Repent, restitute and turn a new leaf today (Ephesians 4:28)!

In today’s Bible reading, Gehazi lied to Naaman and received the gifts his master had rejected. Thereafter, his master sent for him and asked him where he had been. He lied again saying he went nowhere. He however did not get away with that lie. There are lies you tell and it may appear you got away with them, but there are also lies you will tell that will leave their sting on you perpetually. Gehazi lied to his master and his master and his life changed negatively and irreversibly from that day. Open Heavens 6 March 2017:- Stealing and lying. Similarly, Ananias and Sapphira may have told lies in the past and escaped the consequences. However, on the day they lied to Peter, they never lived to tell another lie (Acts 5:1-10). If you consider the punishment that followed the supposedly “little” lie of this couple, many people would be of the opinion that it far exceeded their offence. Why? It is because they see lying as a regular, common sin that is inconsequential if weighed on a scale with “heavier” sins like murder. This is why many people engaged in it, even those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. Some people have even categorised lies by colour and size! If God could bring leprosy on Gehazi and kill Ananians and Sapphira because of lies, it means that He does not take lies lightly as we do. God even says He will exclude all categories of liars from the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:8, Revelation 21:27). Run away from lies and embrace Jesus Christ, the Truth!

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.
—Romans 10:9

The heart is the blood-pump of the body. It is also used metaphorically when we speak of affections and feelings. Since it is the central organ of the body and one of the most vital, the Bible speaks of it as the wellspring of life. Hence, it is used synonymously with “life.” When the Bible says, “Son, give me thine heart,” it doesn’t mean that we are to cut out our actual hearts and give them to God. It means that we are to give Him our lives, our all. When we come to Christ, we are not only to give intellectual assent with our minds, we are to “believe in our hearts.” We can believe in the historic Jesus, but if we have “saving faith” our belief must involve our whole being. When we believe with all our hearts, the will, the emotions, and the intellect are surrendered to Christ.
Prayer for the day

Lord, I believe and rejoice in the knowledge that You are alive and my Redeemer!

When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever!
2 Chronicles 20:21, 

The Amplified Bible

Praise precedes victory!

You can see a graphic example of that in 2 Chronicles 20. There, the Bible tells us that a multitude of forces was marching against Israel. The army of Israel was so outnumbered, they literally didn't know what to do. So they fasted and prayed until they received a word from God. "Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicle 20:15, The Amplified Bible).

Do you know what they did in response to that word? They put together a praise choir! That's right. They appointed singers and praisers and sent them out in front of the army! And when that choir began to sing, the Word tells us that "the Lord set ambushments against the men...who had come against Judah, and they were [self-]slaughtered" (verse 22).

When it was all over, not one Israelite had fallen—and not one of their enemies had escaped. What's more, when they came to take the spoil, they found so many cattle, goods, garments and other precious things, it took them three whole days to haul it all home.

Now, that's victory! And it all began with praise.

Are you looking for that kind of victory today? Then stand up and shout, "Glory!" After all, you're in the same situation those Israelites were in. You have an army marching against you, but Jesus has already defeated it. He won that battle for you on Resurrection morning.

All that's left for you to do is trust Him and begin to praise. Sound out those praises today. Speak them, sing them, declare them in the face of your enemy. Once he hears them, he'll know he doesn't even stand a chance.


Scripture Reading:

2 Chronicles 20:1-22

READ: Isaiah 26:3, 4
…and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
Genesis 3:16

God proclaimed a woman’s desire for a husband a curse because it was part of the woman's punishment for disobeying God. Marriage presents many frustrations to women across the globe.

Sometimes, single ladies plod through life like disappointed and disillusioned travellers, instead of living happy and fulfilled lives. The Scripture makes it clear that the husband will rule over the woman; that the woman will be dominated and governed by the man. This is also a curse. Yet, many women see oppressive men and desire to be ruled by them. Where does this irresistible desire come from? The answer is found in the curse pronounced in the Garden of Eden.

There are married women who have wise ideas and take good decisions. But they are ruled and dominated by foolish husbands. There are many men who do not exhibit the wisdom of a ruler who occupy the place of a governor in the marriage. It is very difficult to live with someone who does not lead in the right direction. It is distressing to follow a leader who is unreasonable. Yet, this is the lot of many women. This also is a curse!

Accepting that there is a curse is a first step to your victory. Understanding how this curse plays out is the key to getting your victory. Women, learn how to overcome this curse by finding your strength in God. Put your hope in God and develop a close personal relationship with Him.

Isaiah 54:14

In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Have you ever asked yourself why some Christians are constantly beset with overwhelming challenges, sicknesses and defeat if God’s promise, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17), is true?

Well, this promise comes with a condition—“In righteousness you shall be established”. When you are established in righteousness, you will be far from oppression and terror, and not a single weapon formed against you will prosper!

This condition is not hard to meet. For a start, you already have righteousness! When you received Jesus as your Savior, you received the gift of righteousness which enables you to reign in life. (Romans 5:17) This righteousness does not come from you but the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17) And when you are established in His righteousness, no weapon formed against you will prosper.

But what does being established in righteousness mean? To be established in something is to have that something as your very foundation for security. So God wants you to know, be sure of and grow in the revelation that you are righteous by the blood of Jesus, by His perfect sacrifice at the cross.

When you feel as if you are in a storm, tossed here and there, and you begin to experience worry and fear, remind yourself of who you are in Christ. You are the righteousness of God in Christ and you have His righteousness!

As you do this, you will begin to notice the worry and fear slide off you, for when you are established in righteousness, “you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you”! That is why God wants you to be established in righteousness. He wants you to be free from fear, and far from oppression and terror.

So when the pressure is on, hold fast to the belief that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. That is where no weapon formed against you can prosper. As you keep believing and confessing your righteousness in Christ, revelation will break forth and you will experience the release of God’s miraculous provision, divine protection and blessings into your life!

It’s where power and potential intersect.

You are exactly where you need to be.

Every step, tumble and break has polished you; your resilience is beyond measure. Regardless of what people say, or what problems may come, know that you are on the right path.

You will fulfill your purpose on this earth--without a doubt.

Feeling unanchored or lost is completely normal, temporary and will pass. It is precisely during life’s toughest storms when we cultivate our deepest understanding and knowledge of ourselves and our potential.

Pablo Picasso said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” In fact our purpose in life is found when our power and potential align. When we acknowledge, define and celebrate our strengths, we are not only unstoppable, but of great benefit to others.

Researchers in the Department of Psychology at Trent University found that people who connected with meaning and purpose in life experienced more physical and emotional well-being. In contrast, they found that when someone experiences “Meaninglessness...it can lead to symptoms of anxiety, depression, hopelessness, or physical decline.”

The study examined the well-being and life attitudes of three hundred men and women of all ages. Time and again, those who were able to identify their personal strengths and exhibit patience with themselves (as they built upon these strengths) felt their life had a purpose and direction.

What is your purpose in life?

If you are skilled at emotionally supporting others, do so. If you have a gift for song, share it. If your focus is social justice, connect with the right causes.

Come alive with your purpose and build the life you’ve always known was possible.

…God tested and proved Abraham and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. [God] said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I will tell you.
—Genesis 22:1-2

Once the Lord said to me, "Joyce, do you love Me? If so, will you still love Me and serve Me even if I don't do everything just the way you want or just when you think I should?" At the time of the Lord's visitation, I had been asking God for a huge ministry. He also said, "Joyce, if I asked you to go down to the riverfront here in St. Louis and minister to fifty people for the rest of your life and never be known by anyone, would you do it?" My response was, "But, Lord, surely you can't really be asking me to do that!"

We always have such grandiose plans for ourselves. If God asks us to do something that isn't prominent, we aren't always sure we are hearing Him correctly or that it is His will for us! When God asked me those questions about my ministry, I felt the way I imagined Abraham must have felt when the Lord asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac through whom He had promised to bless him and all nations of the earth (see Genesis 22).

It seemed God was asking me to give up the very work He had given me through which He blessed many others as well as me. But God wasn't asking me to give up that ministry. He was just asking me to lay it on the altar, just like Abraham laid Isaac on the altar before the Lord.

We must not let anything—even our work for God—become more important to us than God Himself. To keep that from happening, from time to time God calls upon us to lay it all on the altar as proof of our love and commitment. He tests us by asking us to lay down our most treasured blessing as proof of our love for Him.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS FOR THIS WEEK!!!

When God goes with you, gates are lifted. Therefore, any job that is not available to man with connection, will be given to you by the favour of God!
Every form of spiritual blindness that won’t let you see what God has in store for you is cursed in the name of Jesus!
No matter how small that enterprise is, it shall be great in Jesus' name!
For everyone seeking paid employment, you will receive your miracle job this week in Jesus' name!
I see the favour of God distinguishing your business and career in Jesus' name!
Many, who are seeking for employment today, will be employers of labour before the end of this year in Jesus' name!
No supplier, contractor, consultant or trader will lack patronage again in Jesus' name
Many will be turned to breadwinners of nations!
This week, anywhere you turn, the door will be open to you!
Every unsold goods in your store will move out this week!

You will not enter the month of March jobless in the mighty name of Jesus!

Know this: You serve a covenant-keeping God; therefore, He will bring to pass everything that concerns you.