2093
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 TUES. 23RD APRIL 2024
AN UNDERSTANDING OF HIS LOVE
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...that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me (John 17:23).
Pastor Chris Says
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God loves you as much as He loves Jesus. Has this reality dawned on your spirit? When it does, it'll completely transform everything about your life. Years ago, when I discovered this verse, I shouted, cried, danced, and screamed for joy!
God's love for us is beyond human description and imagination. In Romans 5:8, the Bible says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Your value to God is the price He paid for your salvation, which is the blood of Jesus Christ: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold...But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19).
This should help you further appreciate the infinite magnitude and boundless nature of His love. In Ephesians 3:17-18, the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, prayed that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend the unfathomable dimensions of the Father's love.
Furthermore, in Romans 8:32, the Apostle Paul raised a thought- provoking question as he reflected on God's matchless love for us. He asked, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" In other words, why should anyone be sick, weak, poor, broke, depressed or live a down life, judging how much the Father loves us?
An understanding of our heavenly Father's love will rid your life of fear, sickness and everything associated with Satan and darkness. Matthew's account of what the Lord did as a demonstration of His love for the people lends credence to this. It says, "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people" (Matthew 9:35). Hallelujah!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Ever-loving Father, thank you for the unfathomable and immeasurable love you've so lavished upon me. It's such a delight to know that I'm special and valuable to you. I walk in the consciousness of your unfailing love today, and I manifest and radiate your love to my world, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Ephesians 3:17-19; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
[18] may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
[19] and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
1 John 4:9-10; In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. [10] Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 20:1-19 & 1 Samuel 18-19
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 15:1-9 & Psalm 127-128
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SUN. 21ST APRIL 2024
THE LIFTING OF OUR HANDS
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Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2).
Pastor Chris Says
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In the Scriptures, there're copious references to the import and blessings of the lifting of our hands. Psalm 134:1-2 says, "Behold, bless ye the LORD... Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD." When we lift our hands, blessings are released; divine power flows through our hands.
Once, I was in a meeting where there were many people with arthritis, and a lot of them couldn't lift their hands. I asked the Lord, "Why do we have so many people in that place with arthritis?"
The Lord's response to me was very interesting. He said, "I said in my Word to lift your hands and worship me; lifting your hands in worship will keep you away from such ailments as arthritis. Sadly, many don't know this.
Then He said, "If those people had been praying, worshipping, praising with their hands lifted, as the Scripture says, they would have never suffered arthritis." The things that God tells us to do are for our sake, for our blessing, such as the lifting of our hands. Every so often, in times of prayer and worship, let your hands go up.
Lifting your hands to the Lord is a sign of your recognition of His grace and glory in your life. Remember, the symbolism of the evening sacrifice offered on the brazen altar is reflected in the lifting up of our hands. Therefore, when you lift your hands in worship, it pleases God more than all the bulls and goats sacrificed on that brazen altar in the Old Testament.
David was well acquainted with the priesthood ministry in the old tabernacle. Also, he was a prophet of God, and by the Spirit, he had a revelation of the New Testament and saw that the lifting of our hands today had taken the place of the burnt offering in the Old Testament.
In 1 Timothy 2:8, the Bible says, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or doubting." The Apostle Paul here was referring to spiritual worship and offering of praise to the Father from a joyful heart, full of love and thanksgiving.
Even now, lift your hands and worship the Lord for His love, mercy and kindness; tell Him how much you love Him.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Holy Father, I lift up my hands in worship to you, in praise of your majesty, for you alone are God, worthy of all adoration. There's none like you; you're great and mighty. Throughout all generations, you're the same: faithful, just, righteous, holy, pure and true. I love you, Lord!
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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1 Kings 8:22-23; But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
[23] These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
Lamentations 3:41; Let us lift up our heart with our hands Unto God in the heavens.
Psalm 63:4 ESV; So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
Luke 24:50; And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 19:1-27 & 1 Samuel 14-15
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 14:1-11 & Psalm 123-124
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 FRI. 19TH APRIL 2024
KEEP BEARING FRUITS
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You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name (John 15:16 CEV).
Pastor Chris Says
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Isn't it wonderful to know that the Lord Jesus chose and ordained you to produce abiding fruits: results that stand the test of time? Whatever you do is expected to succeed and "abide."
The Bible tells us about Joseph who was brought into the house of Potiphar as a slave. However, because the Lord was with him, everything he did prospered. When his master, Potiphar, saw this, he promptly made Joseph the overseer of his house. Potiphar recognized that Joseph was blessed to produce lasting results.
The grace of God is on your life to produce excellence in everything you do. Become conscious of this. Whatever you're required to do should be a success because you're a child of God, and you're fashioned for good works. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Keep bearing fruits. Keep winning. Remain effective. Wherever you find yourself, make a difference. Joseph's excellence wasn't discovered when he became the boss; it was discovered while he was a slave. He only became the boss because of his effectiveness.
Thanks be unto God; the Spirit of God in you makes you an effective and efficient person. Read what the Bible says in Acts 1:8 AMPC: "But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...."
Psalm 1:3 also gives a vivid description of your ever-fruitful and ever-productive life in Christ. It says, "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, thank you for the inherent ability in me to be effective and efficient in all that I do, producing lasting and extraordinary results. You've equipped and ordained me for a fruitful and productive life. I'm effective in the ministry of reconciliation and every other area of my life, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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2 Corinthians 3:5 AMPC; Not that we are fit (qualified and sufficient in ability) of ourselves to form personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God.
Psalm 1:1-3 TPT; What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways! He won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat.
[2] His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,” meditating day and night on the true revelation of light.
[3] He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous.
John 15:16; Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 17:20-18:1-14 & 1 Samuel 8-10
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 12:9-21 & Psalm 119:161-176
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 WED. 17TH APRIL 2024
LIVING IN THE WORD IS FUNDAMENTAL
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So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
Pastor Chris Says
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It's essential to recognize that not everyone in this world will fulfil their God-given purpose. In fact, many are unaware that God has a unique plan for each person born into this world. Every human being faces two destinies: a natural destiny shaped by circumstances such as birth, family, environment, etc, and a divine destiny initiated when Jesus becomes the Lord of one's life. From then on, He takes charge of your life.
The Word of God has to be the guiding light for your life. Every time you hear the Word, faith is imparted to you. Through this faith, you can please the Lord, serve Him, and accomplish anything in alignment with His will; you can fulfil the calling of God on your life.
The Bible says, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (James 1:18). 1 Peter 1:23 says, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
As one born of the Word, living in the Word is fundamental to fulfilling your purpose. The Word fortifies your faith, guides your spirit, and serves as the nourishment for your spirit; it is your life. Praise God!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for the life-transforming power of your Word. As I receive and embrace your Word, faith is ignited and kindled within me; I'm fortified, energized and strengthened to fulfil your plans and purposes for my life. I walk in union with your Word; therefore, I'm guided in your perfect will to fulfil the purpose you have for me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Psalm 119:105; Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.
James 1:22-25; But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
[23] For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
[24] for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
[25] But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Acts 20:32; And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 16 & 1 Samuel 1-2
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 11:25-36 & Psalm 119:129-144
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 TUES. 16TH APRIL 2024
POWER TO HEAL
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And these signs shall follow them that believe... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17- 18).
Pastor Chris Says
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Do you know that when it comes to healing the sick, we're the ones God asked to do it? He gave us power to heal. In our theme scripture, the Lord Jesus didn't say the believing ones shall pray to me to heal the sick; rather, He said, they shall lay hands on the sick, and the sick shall be healed.
Then in Luke 10:9, He was just as direct when He sent His disciples out to preach the Gospel. He said, "... heal the sick...and say unto them, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." Also, He told them, "And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:7-8).
Remarkably, He didn't say, "pray for the sick"; rather, He said, "heal the sick." Hallelujah! In Acts 3, Peter exemplified this authority to heal the sick when he encountered a man who had been crippled from birth at the Temple gate. He declared, "...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). This wasn't a plea or a prayer, Peter simply acted on the Words of the Master, He used the Name of Jesus as a powerful instrument.
In Acts 3:16, he further emphasized the power of the Name of Jesus when he said that faith in His Name had made the formerly lame man strong: "And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."
One of the most beautiful things about Christianity is the blessing of using the Name of Jesus. When you speak or proclaim healing for the sick in His Name, your words are effective, producing exactly what they talk about. Even now, go ahead and make declarations in His Name about your health and that of your loved ones. Proclaim healing for many today who are sick and in hospitals. Hallelujah!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, thank you for granting me the power of attorney to use the Name of Jesus and bring healing and health to the sick. Even now, I proclaim healing for many today who are in hospitals and might have been given up to die; the handwriting of death concerning them is cancelled, and they're restored to sound health, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Luke 9:2; And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
Acts 3:1-8; Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
[2] And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
[3] who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
[4] And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
[5] And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
[6] Then Peter 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.
[7] And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
[8] And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Philippians 2:9-11; Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
[10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
[11] and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 15:11-32 & Ruth 1-4
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 11:13-24 & Psalm 119:105-128
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SUN. 14TH APRIL 2024
THE DYNAMICS HAVE CHANGED
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For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).
Pastor Chris Says
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One remarkable distinction between Jesus and the prophets of old is that Jesus had the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in Him. The Holy Spirit was within Him, but the prophets only had the Holy Spirit come upon them from time to time.
For example, we read the story in Judges 6 when Gideon was chosen by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites. The Bible says, "But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him" (Judges 6:34).
Also, in the 14th chapter, we find the story of Samson who encountered a young lion while on his way to Timnath. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, enabling him to tear the lion apart "as he would have torn a kid" (Judges 14:6).
In 1 Samuel 10:10, before Saul became king, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophesied among the prophets. Also, read the story of David in 1 Samuel 16:13. After Samuel anointed David as the future king of Israel, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him.
But today, the dynamics have changed. We're in the generation of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit doesn't come on us like He did with those in the Old Testament. He lives in us now in His fullness. The Holy Spirit lives in you in His maximum capacity and entirety, just like Paul said about Jesus in Colossians 1:19, "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell."
In the next chapter, Paul also reiterated, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9). Then in the very next verse, He was quick to add that we are complete in Him: "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10).
So, today, just like Jesus, when you walk the streets, it's with the fullness of the Godhead. God Almighty, in His fullness, lives, walks and talks in you. Hallelujah! Can you see that you aren't an ordinary person? You're a God-carrying vessel, filled with His fulness, and doing extraordinary things. Glory to God!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for the indwelling of your Holy Spirit within me. I'm a God-carrying vessel, replete with the maximum load of God. I am not an ordinary person; I am a vessel of divine power. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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1 John 4:4; 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.
Ephesians 3:14-20; For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[15] of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
[16] that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
[17] that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
[18] may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
[19] and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
[20] 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,
Colossians 1:26-27; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
[27] to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 14:1-24 & Judges 17-18
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 10:11-21 & Psalm 119:65-80
Rhapsody of Realities Daily
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 FRI. 12TH APRIL 2024
THE GLORY OF THE WORD
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And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him (Exodus 34:29).
Pastor Chris Says
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Many of us acknowledge that the Word of God, as the Scriptures tell us, "...is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..." (2 Timothy 3:16). Also, the Lord Jesus emphasized in John 15:3, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." So, we understand that the Word of God does all these. That's because the Word of God is the first glory of the Kingdom. Recall the experience of Moses in the Old Testament, part of which we read in our theme verse.
He had spent forty days and forty nights with God on Mount Sinai, receiving the Ten Commandments. And because he had been in communion with God, when he came down from the mountain, his face radiated the glory of God such that everyone who saw him couldn't look at him.
There was a distinctive glory on Moses that emanated from his attentive reception of God's Word. Moses had to wear a veil to shroud the glory that had rubbed off on him (Exodus 34:29-33). That's the effect of deep contemplation and meditation on the Word.
It's crucial to recognize the difference in how Moses and the children of Israel perceived the Word. While the people viewed it as commandments and instructions, Moses understood God's Word as life (Deuteronomy 32:46-47).
In the New Testament, this same glory is now within us. When you received the Word of God into your spirit for salvation, the Word came to live in you and the glory of God's Word is now in your spirit. The best part of it is that the glory of the Word in us today outclasses what Moses had.
Ours, according to 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 (read the entire reference), is the more excellent glory: "...For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth; for if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious" (2 Corinthians 3:10-11).
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for the transformative power of your Word. As I contemplate, meditate and speak the Word, the glory of the Word in my life increases with greater intensity; I walk in supernatural grace, perfection, beauty and righteousness. I'm continually metamorphosed from glory to glory, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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2 Corinthians 3:7-11 NIV
Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
Psalm 119:105
Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING:
1-Year Bible Reading Plan: Luke 13:1-21 & Judges 12-13
2-Year Bible Reading Plan: Romans 9:26-33 & Psalm 119:1-40
Extract from Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 WED. 10TH APRIL 2024
CONSTANTLY ENERGIZED
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But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher), praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20 AMPC).
Pastor Chris Says
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What the Bible says in Isalah 40:31 needs to be properly understood. It says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength...." Some have read this and ran off with the notion that to be constantly energized, strengthened or invigorated spiritually, you have to "wait on the Lord"; in other words, fast for a protracted period.
Well, fasting is an important spiritual exercise, but someone can fast for 40 days and 40 nights and still not have their strength renewed. In the New Testament, the Lord provides us a sure and effective means to be constantly rejuvenated and invigorated spiritually: being filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18-20 says, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is the answer. Stay perpetually filled with the Spirit, studying and speaking the Word, and praying in tongues. When you do this, you're constantly energized.
Paul tells us, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself..." (1 Corinthians 14:4). In other words, when you speak in tongues, you're invigorated, revitalized, refreshed, energized and edified. There's a transformation in your life, and your spirit is conditioned for success, excellence, prosperity and victory.
When you speak in tongues a lot, the words of Jesus in John 7:38 become your everyday reality: "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." What a blessing it is to be able to build up yourself like an edifice, formidable and able to withstand anything and win always as you pray in tongues.
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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I'm invigorated, vitalized, refreshed, energized and edified even now by the Spirit as I speak in tongues. My inner man is built up strong, and I constantly walk in dominion over all adversities and the adversary; out of my belly flow gushers of living waters, words of salvation, healing, power and strength, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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1 Corinthians 14:4 AMPC; He who speaks in a [strange] tongue edifies and improves himself, but he who prophesies [interpreting the divine will and purpose and teaching with inspiration] edifies and improves the church and promotes growth [in Christian wisdom, piety, holiness, and happiness].
John 7:37-39; In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
[38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
[39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 12:22-48 & Judges 9
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 9:1-13 & Psalm 116-117
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 MON. 8TH APRIL 2024
ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP
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Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28 RSV).
Pastor Chris Says
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Observe that the opening verse tells us to offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. What does "acceptable worship" mean? It's worship that's according to the Word; that's the worship God accepts.
That you "felt" good during worship doesn't mean it's acceptable worship. Many songs that many have sung through the years and have called worship were not worship at all.
For example, they're those who made a song out of what the psalmist wrote in Psalm 100:4, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise...." King David may have composed it, but today, we do not "enter" into the presence of God. The day you were born again, you were born into the presence of God; that's where you live. In fact, you carry the presence of God in you and with you!
That's why when someone says, "Let's enter into His presence," I ask, "Where are you coming from?" These distinctions may seem subtle, but they are far from mere semantics. True worship is not about emotions, singing, dancing or having melodious tunes; it has to be according to the Word.
The Lord Jesus said, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" (John 4:23). Someone says, "But I worship with pure conscience." The danger lies in assuming that a pure conscience equates to acceptable worship.
Your conscience will guide you based on the knowledge you possess. If your understanding is limited, your conscience too will be limited; so, it's an insufficient guide. The conscience, as the voice of the human spirit, requires training through the knowledge and understanding of the Word to be able to present to the Lord acceptable worship.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, thank you for the blessing and privilege to offer acceptable worship to you. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, and glory forever. You're exalted as head over all, and I worship you today in holiness and truth, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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John 4:23-24; But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
[24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Psalm 29:2; Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Philippians 3:3; For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 11:37-54 & Judges 5-6
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 8:20-28 & Psalm 112-113
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SAT. 6TH APRIL 2024
COURAGE, RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH
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Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight (1 Samuel 4:9).
Pastor Chris Says
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In 1 Samuel 4:1-9, the Israelites faced the Philistines in battle and suffered a defeat, losing about four thousand men. Troubled, the elders of Israel decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh, hoping it would save them from their enemies.
As the Ark arrived, there was a great shout, and the Philistines, hearing it, became afraid. They expressed concern about facing the mighty God of the Hebrews, but in response, the Philistine leaders urged their people, "Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight" (1 Samuel 4:9)..
The phrase "quit yourselves like men' in this context means to "be a man" or "act like a man. With this instruction, they encouraged themselves to demonstrate qualities of strength, courage and resilience in the face of challenges or adversity. They went out and fought more fiercely, ultimately defeating the Israelites.
In 1 Kings 2:2, David, in his final days, charged Solomon, saying, " go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man." It's quite interesting that David didn't instruct Solomon to show himself as a king or a prince even though Solomon was crowned king.
Instead, the emphasis was on him demonstrating qualities of leadership and strength. Since David himself was a man of war, he encouraged Solomon to be strong and courageous, resilient in the face of adversity.
In the New Testament, Paul made a similar call when he exhorted God's people in 1 Corinthians 16:13, saying, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." The phrase "quit you like men" is a specific expression urging the Corinthian Christians to embody qualities associated with leadership, resilience and strength.
It's essential to note that the expression isn't addressing gender but rather emphasizes virtues of courage and resilience in the context of faith and steadfastness.
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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I'm full of courage, resilience and strength. I'm strengthened to stand firm in faith and produce a legacy of leadership in my family, community, nation and beyond, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Joshua 1:7 NIV; “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9; Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
1 Corinthians 15:58; Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 11:1-13 & Judges 1-2
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 8:1-11 & Psalm 109
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 THURS. 4TH APRIL 2024
MODEL YOUR LIFE AFTER CHRIST
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Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).
Pastor Chris Says
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There're some Christians who like to model their lives after the Old Testament prophets. Some actually would pray, "O, Lord, I want to be a type of Elijah so that I may initiate a bolt of lightning down out of the sky and incinerate your enemies." Some ask for the same unction Jeremiah had so they can prophesy judgment on people and nations that don't believe in God. Something is wrong.
Don't try to be another Elijah or Jeremiah. Emulate Christ. In Luke 9:54-55 (NKJV), when James and John, two of the disciples, witnessed the rejection of Jesus in a Samaritan village, they asked the Master, "... Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" The Lord rebuked and severely censured them. He said, "... You do not know what manner of spirit you are of" (Luke 9:55 NKJV).
The Bible says, "You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness-righteous, holy, and true" (Ephesians 4:24 NLT). You aren't to be fashioned after the Old Testament prophets, we have a model, and that's Jesus!
In Ephesians 5:1, we're admonished to be imitators of God as His beloved children. We're to emulate His quiet, gentle, loving and compassionate spirit. This is easy because we have His life and nature in us. Therefore, we can talk and love like Him and walk in absolute mastery and dominion in the earth..
Even in prayer, emulate Jesus. Study the content of His prayer, for example, in John 17, and pray like Him. Have the primary desire and enduring passion to please the Father as He did. His joy was to fulfil the will of the Father. That should be your focus every day.
If you were on the journey to be like the revivalists of old, or to be patterned after the Old Testament prophets or anyone else for that matter, recalibrate your life immediately. You'd be amazed at the profound joy that'll engulf you, leaving you transformed into a more Christlike personality. Hallelujah!
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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My life is for the glory of God, because it's modelled after Christ; my desires align with His perfect will as I live to please Him in all things. His love, compassion and tender mercies are manifested in and through me today. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Romans 12:2; And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ezekiel 36:26; A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJV; Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
[2] And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 10:1-24 & Joshua 20-22
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 7:1-11 & Psalm 107
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 TUES. 2ND APRIL 2024
YOUR DAILY SUPPLY
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Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:17).
Pastor Chris Says
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Our God is so gracious and kind. Did you know that He has more than enough supply for you every day? He isn't just into "provision"; He's into supply-abundant supply. Hallelujah!
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:8 AMPC: "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]." He wants you to have, not only for yourself, but enough to help others.
Therefore, for every day in God's calendar and plan for your life, in His structure of things, there're supplies set aside for you. Psalm 68:19 says, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. In this Year of Redemption, make up your mind to redeem every blessing that God has ordained for you.
Each one of us has a heavenly account. Call forth your supply even now. Some people have never taken possession of that which belongs to them since they became Christians. They have leftover supplies that have accumulated over time. It's time to cash out! It's time to draw from your heavenly account. How?
It's through your faith-filled affirmations-your confession of the Word! The Lord Jesus said you shall have what you say (Mark 11:23). In Psalm 45:1, the Psalmist said, "...my tongue is the pen of a ready writer."
Your tongue is the pen; use it now to sign your "coupons and vouchers" and turn them in for actual value. Hallelujah! You say, "Today, there's an overflow of favour and resources for me, and I take possession. The Lord has supplied all that I require for life and godliness according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. Amen."
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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Everything I require - the men, materials, resources, etc. - for life and godliness is available to me by free course! My life is a daily expression of the supernatural. I'll never be broke, because I'm plugged into an unending, supernatural supply in Christ Jesus. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Philippians 4:19, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Psalm 23.1-2; The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
[2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 9:18-36 & Joshua 13-15
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 6:1-11 & Psalm 105
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SUN. 31ST MARCH 2024
WE HAIL FROM DEITY
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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 (1 John 4:4).
Pastor Chris Says
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There’s a misconception of the meaning of the phrase, "Ye are of God" in the verse above. To some, it means “to be on God’s side,” but that’s not correct. The Apostle John’s construction isn’t in any way ambiguous, so it isn’t about being on anyone's side. It simply means you hail from Deity. In other words, your origin is in God; you’re His offspring.
It’s akin to what the Bible says in James 1:18: “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” To hail from God, therefore, Christ must be in you; you must receive Him to live in you.
Recall the words of the Lord Jesus in John 3:3, “… Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The concluding phrase of our opening verse gives credence to this; it says, “…greater is He that is in you...;” so, He has to be in you. Think about it: He gave birth to you to live in you!
The Bible says, “...Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). You have absolute victory over all forces of darkness and the wicked spirits that orchestrate evil because of the greater One that lives in you. Read how beautifully the AMPC renders our opening verse: “Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.” Praise God!
You have overcome the adversary and their nefarious and sinister plans to cause untold hardship, troubles, sorrows, distresses and corrupting influences in the world because you hail from Deity! Hallelujah!
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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I have overcome all the forces of darkness and wicked spirits that orchestrate evil plans in the world because I hail from God and the greater One lives in me. I have overcome the sorrows, distresses and corrupting influences in the world. I’m victorious always in Christ Jesus. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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John 1:12-13; But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
[13] which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
1 Peter 1:23; being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1 John 5:4-5; For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
[5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 8:40-56 & Joshua 7-9
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 5:1-11 & Psalm 103
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 FRI. 29TH MARCH 2024
PREACH THE TRIUMPHANT LIFE
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Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Pastor Chris Says
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When we teach about the triumphant life—the prosperity, health, wellness and wholeness that salvation in Christ brought to us—some people think it’s too good to be true. They say, "Well, Pastor Chris just promises them a good life, trying to tell them there’s no hardship, no persecution, and no problem."
Why should I proclaim the gloom life when the Lord already gave us the victorious life? Even when we go through severe persecutions, He tells us to, “...count it all joy...” (James 1:2). Why? It’s because nothing and no one, whether in heaven, on earth or under the earth, can work to our disadvantage.
This keeps us joyful and consistent in our praise and appreciation of God’s grace and glory in our lives. Think about Job, for example, during a distressing period of agony and affliction in his life, he said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…” (Job 13:15).
Isaiah 43:2 says, “When thou passest through the waters…they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” The Lord never promised that we wouldn't face challenges, but He assured us that our victories would be inevitable.
1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” It parallels what we read in our opening verse. We’re victorious ALWAYS, in every place and in all things.
Study about our Lord Jesus when He walked the earth; He was victorious in all things. He lived in absolute glory and dominion and passed the same mentality to His disciples. Once, He said to them, “…in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
In Luke 10:19, He said, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Hallelujah! What we have in Christ is the transcendent life. That’s what we believe; that’s what we live, and that’s what He sent us to preach and teach.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Gracious Father, I thank you for the victorious, glorious and magnificent life you’ve called me into, a triumphant life above sickness, disease, poverty, failure and death. I walk worthy of this calling today, fully taking advantage of your divine power at work in me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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John 10:10 AMPC; The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
2 Corinthians 2:14; Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 8:1-21 & Joshua 3-4
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 4:1-10 & Psalm 101
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 WED. 27TH MARCH 2024
NO BLESSINGS LEFT TO ASK FOR
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
Pastor Chris Says
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Did you know that there’re no more blessings in heaven that aren’t already yours in Christ? Notice the past tense in what we just read; it says, "God has blessed us with ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Also notice that it says He’s blessed you with spiritual blessings, which means you don't have to ask for more blessings, as He’s already blessed you with ALL the blessings that exist in Christ Jesus.
This is remarkable because it means He’s blessed you with untold prosperity, divine health, unending joy, victories, supernatural strength, success, and any other blessing you can imagine. You may say, “But He only mentioned spiritual blessings; how about the physical blessings?”
The physical blessings are all included in the spiritual blessings. The lesser is included in the greater. Think about it like this: The Bible says God is a Spirit. Then in Genesis 1:1, it says, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.”
Now, if God, who is a Spirit, created the heavens and the earth in the beginning, it means He pre-existed the beginning and that He must dwell in the realms of the spirit. Therefore, all the blessings He has must be spiritual.
The realm of the spirit pre-existed the heavens and the earth. So, the physical or the material world came out of that realm. All other blessings—material or physical—are inside spiritual blessings. Whatever you would have asked of God is included in what He's already blessed you with.
So, today, there’s no need to ask Him for more blessings. Now you can understand why He said in 1 Corinthians 3:21-22, “...For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.” Peter echoes the same truth in 2 Peter 1:3, saying, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness….”
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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I’m in Christ, therefore, I enjoy all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. I enjoy prosperity, health, joy, strength, wholeness, wellness and success. I’ve been chosen and ordained for a life of praise, joy, excellence, victory and glory in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah!
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Ephesians 1:3 NLT; All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
1 Timothy 6:17; Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 7:1-35 & Deuteronomy 33-34
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 3:20-25 & Psalm 97
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 MON. 22ND APRIL 2024
AN ACT OF VICTORY
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When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up -one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword (Exodus 17:12-13 NIV).
Pastor Chris Says
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As referenced in our last study, the lifting of our hands to the Lord is an offering to Him, not a mere religious routine as some folks think. It's a ministry. For example, Exodus 17:8-13 gives us the account of the Israelites' battle against the Amalekites.
The Amalekites attacked Israel at Rephidim. Moses instructed Joshua to choose men to fight against Amalek while he went to the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand. As the battle progressed, whenever Moses held up his hands, the Israelites prevailed, but when he lowered them, the Amalekites gained the upper hand.
Aaron and Hur, the two men who were with Moses noticed that every time Moses lifted his hands, Israel had the advantage, and every time his hands dropped, the opposing side prevailed. Moses, unaware of the impact, was informed by Aaron and Hur that the lifting of his hands influenced the outcome of the battle.
Recognizing the importance, Aaron and Hur provided a stone for him to sit on, and they both helped to bear his hands up on either side. By so doing, Israel prevailed against Amalek. What did that signify? It wasn't about the height of the hands; it was the lifting of the hands.
Remember that he had to sit down; when he sat down, the height was reduced. So, it wasn't about how high the hands were; it was the fact that the hands were lifted. With his hands steady until sunset, Joshua overwhelmed the Amalekite forces.
There's something about the lifting of our hands. If you desire to witness continuous victories and triumphs, always praise the Lord with your hands lifted. When you face challenges, declare, "Father, I lift my hands to you against these issues, against the forces of darkness, against those that war against me." This act has the power to paralyze opposing forces! Blessed be God!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I lift my hands to you today in holiness, to bless and adore you for your glory, majesty and grace. I rejoice in you today, knowing that you're the glory of my life and the solid Rock on which I stand. With my hands lifted in praise, I declare that you alone are God; you're the great King of all. Thank you for your lovingkindness, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Psalm 63:4; Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
Psalm 141:2; Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; And the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 134:1-2; Behold, bless ye the LORD, All ye servants of the LORD, Which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
[2] Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the LORD.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 19:28-48 & 1 Samuel 16-17
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 14:12-23 & Psalm 125-126
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SAT. 20TH APRIL 2024
HE DELIGHTS IN YOUR PROSPERITY
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If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (Luke 16:11).
Pastor Chris Says
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There are Christians who make snide remarks when they hear the teachings on prosperity in Christ. Sometimes, they accuse preachers of focusing too much on money and the prosperity message. Ironically, the same individuals work tirelessly all day and all week for money. Some of them even resort to dishonest means to obtain it and often feel distressed when they lack it.
There's no better place to learn about financial prosperity than God's Word. The Lord delights in your prosperity. The Bible says in 3 John 1:2, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
It brings to mind the words of David in Psalm 35:27; he said, "...Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant." The Lord has pleasure in your prosperity. That should let you know that poverty, lack and want aren't the will of God for you.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (AMPC) 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]."
His will is for you to be in surplus, ever-prospering. Hallelujah! Read Psalm 1:1-3 (TPT); it says, "What delight comes to the one who follows God's ways....He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God's design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous."
In Christ, you're self-sufficient; you have whatever you require in abundance. Praise God
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, thank you for your grace at work in me for a life of superabundance, where I require no aid or support but furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation. Thank you for delighting in my prosperity, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
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1 Chronicles 29:12; Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Psalm 23:1; The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Joshua 1:8; This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 18:15-43 & 1 Samuel 11-13
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 13:1-14 & Psalm 120-122
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 THURS. 18TH APRIL 2024
ESTABLISHED IN THE TRUTH
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I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Pastor Chris Says
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The Greek word translated "knowledge" in the scripture above is "epignosis." It means full, exact or precise knowledge. God wants all men to be saved and to come to the full, exact or precise knowledge of the truth. If this weren't possible, He wouldn't have said so. This is His desire.
It's also the reason He set ministers and ministries in place as gifts to the Church: "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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" (Ephesians 4:11-13).
God wants you built up and established in the Word until you come to such a high level of faith and knowledge of the Son of God-mature and fully grown in the Lord. As you develop in Christ and in the things of the Spirit, and as you increase in the revelation knowledge of the Word, you're able to tame circumstances and live above the elements of this world.
When you have precise knowledge of the truth-the truth about Christ and what He's done for you and in you-your life will be an endless stream of peace, joy and victories. Get to know the truth.
For example, Psalm 87:3 says, "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." Then in Psalm 50:2, the Bible says, "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." Hallelujah! God shines through you, not cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, poverty or any of the negativities of this world. You're the perfection of beauty.
When you stand in front of the mirror, look at yourself and say, "I know who I am; greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. My life is for the glory of God because Christ lives in me." Be established in these truths. Hallelujah!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for granting me absolute and exact knowledge of your Word, far removed from assumptions, doubts and uncertainties. I function by the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge in all my endeavours, fruitful in every good work. Christ is the glory of my life and by His grace, I reign triumphantly every day, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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2 Peter 1:2-4; grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
[3] according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
[4] whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Philemon 1:6; that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:9-10: For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
[10] that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 17:1-19 & 1 Samuel 3-7
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 12:1-8 & Psalm 119:145-160
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
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RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 MON. 15TH APRIL 2024
THE WHOLE WORLD IS YOURS
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Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field (Matthew 13:44).
Pastor Chris Says
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The Lord Jesus vividly describes the Kingdom of Heaven as a hidden treasure in a field. The field symbolizes the world, and the treasure within it is the Church. Jesus saw the Church in the visions of His Spirit. He, in turn, paid the ultimate price, shedding His own blood to legally acquire the whole world for the sake of the treasure therein.
Thus, the world belongs to Jesus; He is its rightful owner. Hebrews 1:2 AMPC emphatically declares that Jesus Christ is not just an appointed heir, but He's the lawful owner of all things: "[But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of al Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things...."
Then in Romans 8:16-17, we learn that as children of God, we're joint-heirs with Christ. This implies that everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to the Church in the same way that it belongs to Him. Therefore, as He is the lawful owner of all things-so are we. He doesn't own it without us, and we don't own it without Him. We have equal rights to everything that the Father gave to Jesus.
Ephesians 3:8 (AMPC) describes our wealth and inheritance as boundless, fathomless, incalculable and exhaustless. Hallelujah! Have this consciousness. Walk through life with the mentality that the whole world belongs to you, because it does in Christ Jesus.
The whole world was willed to Abraham, but the promise had to be fulfilled in Christ. The Bible says, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). The whole earth is ours; we're not trying to get it, it belongs to us in Christ. Now you can understand why the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3:21- 22, "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world... all are yours." Blessed be God!
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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The whole world is mine because I'm an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. In Christ, I'm the rightful possessor of boundless, incalculable riches, wealth which no human mind can unravel. I walk in this confidence today, that in Christ, I have access to every blessing and all things are mine, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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1 Corinthians 3:21-22; Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;
[22] whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;
Romans 8:16-17; The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
[17] and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Ephesians 3:8 AMPC; To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God's consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless) riches of Christ [wealth which no human being could have searched out],
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 14:25-15:1-10 & Judges 19-21
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 11:1-12 & Psalm 119:81-104
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SAT. 13TH APRIL 2024
POWER THAT WORKS
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But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Pastor Chris Says
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In Acts 1:8, the Lord Jesus told His disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and that power would make them effective witnesses. The word "power" in this context means power that works! The Greek rendering is "Dunamis"; it signifies inherent power-power that reproduces itself, it's the root word from which we get the English, 'dynamo.'
A dynamo is a device that generates electrical power through the conversion of mechanical energy. So, the term dynamo is often used to describe a generator that continuously generates power without requiring external assistance. This is the kind of power at work in you today. It's a miracle-working ability.
This power makes you an effective witness to your world. A witness is one who possesses evidence and proof, he's one who's called to testify of what he knows. So, should you ever feel weak as a witness, activate the power within you! Paul explains how to do this in Ephesians 5:18-20; it's by getting yourself drunk in the Holy Ghost!
Also, in 1 Corinthians 14:4, the Bible says, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself...." In other words, when you speak in tongues, you activate the power within you and make it effectual, if it had been lying dormant. There is power inside you-inherent power. It's the power that works; with it, you can produce anything.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for the inherent power I have received through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I'm always afire, burning with zeal and passion for the work of the Lord, winning souls everywhere because I'm an effective witness, functioning by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Ephesians 3:20; 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,
Romans 8:11; But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Acts 1:8 AMPC; But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 13:22-35 & Judges 14-16
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 10:1-10 & Psalm 119:41-64
Extract from Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 THURS. 11TH APRIL 2024
BONDED TOGETHER WITH HIM
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Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:30-31).
Pastor Chris Says
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"The term "wait upon" is translated from the Hebrew word 'qâvâh, signifying to "gather" or to "bind together" perhaps by twisting. It's comparable to twisting ropes together to form one braided rope. Contextually, therefore, "wait upon might not be the most accurate choice of words in translating what the prophet Isaiah said in that verse.
For example, when you read the creation story in Genesis 1:9, the same Hebrew word 'qäväh' is used when God commanded the water below the sky to come together in one place so that the land will appear: "And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so."
Also, in Jeremiah 3:17, where the Scriptures emphasized the idea of people being united or bonded together, the same word is used: "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it...."
So, when Isaiah 40:31 speaks of those who "wait upon the LORD," a more accurate understanding would be those who are 'gathered together or those who are "bonded together" with the Lord; they shall renew their strength. What does this tell us in the light of the New Testament?
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:17, "...he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." Now, you can understand why the Holy Spirit has come to live in you; you and the Holy Spirit have become one in that rich. fellowship. It's a "bonding together" as it were.
We've been brought into oneness with divinity; it's an inseparable union. We're in Him, and He is in us. Glory to God! This is the reason we can enjoy rich fellowship with Him in prayer-praying in tongues-and be reinvigorated through and through. We've been brought into a communion, a place of relationship, a oneness of spirit. Hallelujah!
You ought to enjoy that fellowship every day; it's not something you go into and come out of, for you're in Him, and He's in you.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, thank you for my inseparable oneness with you, which gives me the privilege and awesome blessing of constant fellowship with you. As a result of this deep communion, I'm strengthened, energized and continually afire to serve you, live for you and fulfil your purpose for my life, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
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1 Corinthians 1:9; God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13; For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Ephesians 5:30; for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Romans 8:11; But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 12:49-59 & Judges 10-11
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 9:14-25 & Psalm 118.
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 TUES. 9TH APRIL 2024
CHRIST IS THE ROCK
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And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Pastor Chris Says
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The Lord Jesus made the remarkable statement in our theme scripture above in response to Peter's amazing revelatory insight about the Master's identity as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Many have misconstrued what the Master meant when He said, "Upon this rock I will build my Church."
Some have speculated that Jesus was referring to Peter's revelation about Jesus being the Christ, but no! He wasn't referring to Peter's revelation. The Master was succinct in His communication; He didn't say, "Peter, upon the revelation that I'm the Christ will I build my Church." Rather, what He said in essence was, "I will build my Church on Christ." Christ is the Rock.
To further clarify this, it's important to follow and understand certain prophetic nuances in the Bible. For example, in Matthew 22:41-46, Jesus asked the Pharisees about their understanding of the Messiah, and they replied that Christ was the Son of David. Then He asked them if the Messiah was the son of David, how come David addressed Him as Lord? And then He quoted what David said in Psalm 110:1, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
When you read several other portions of the Scriptures, you'll observe where David referred to the Lord as "the Rock." In 2 Samuel 22:1, for example, he spoke to the Lord, expressing gratitude for the deliverance from all his enemies, including Saul. He declared, "... The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer..." (2 Samuel 22:2).
Then in Psalm 18:2, he said, "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength...." In the 46th verse, he continues, "The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted (Psalm 18:46 NKJV). In essence, Christ is the foundation of the Church; He is the Rock. 1 Corinthians 10:4 states clearly, "...and that rock was Christ." The Church is not built on Peter's revelation, it stands unshakeable on the Rock-Christ Jesus. Hallelujah!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for the revelation that the Church is built on Christ, the solid Rock. I stand firm on this foundation, anchored in Christ's unchanging, unmovable, unshakeable, resolute, firm, constant and unwavering truth. The Church is marching on, making progress, establishing your will in the earth, and in the hearts of men, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
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Psalm 18:2; The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
1 Corinthians 10:4 AMPC; And they all drank the same spiritual (supernaturally given) drink. For they drank from a spiritual Rock which followed them [produced by the sole power of God Himself without natural instrumentality], and the Rock was Christ.
Psalm 18:31 For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God,
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 12:1-21 & Judges 7-8
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 8:29-39 & Psalm 114-115.
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SUN. 7TH APRIL 2024
A ROYAL PROGENY
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And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10).
Pastor Chris Says
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Isn't it remarkable that all through the Scriptures, Abraham was never referred to as a king? But he became a progenitor of kings. In Genesis 17:6, God said to Abraham, "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee."
God reiterated the same thing to Jacob: "...I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins" (Genesis 35:11). So, God gave a directive that from Abraham, kings would emerge.
Then we come to the New Testament and Revelation 1:5-6 unveils a glorious truth, that through the Lord's redemptive work, He has not only washed us from our sins but has made us kings and priests unto God. It says, "...Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." We now share in the royal heritage. Blessed be God!
Embrace your identity, you're a king. God has ordained you to reign and rule in the realms of life. Not only does He want you to have the consciousness that you're a king, He also expects you to reproduce kings like you, just as the Lord Jesus, the ultimate King, has made us kings and priests.
Kings reign by issuing decrees and pronouncements. Embrace your identity as a royal progeny.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I'm of the lineage of kings, and I issue decrees and pronouncements, establishing your will, plans and purposes in the hearts of men, and the nations of the world. I declare that I'm reigning as a king in life over all circumstances through the Word and the power of the Holy Ghost at work in me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
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1 Peter 2:9 AMPC; But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Revelation 5:10; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 11:14-36 & Judges 3-4
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 8:12-19 & Psalm 110-111
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 FRI. 5TH APRIL 2024
YIELD YOUR AMBITIONS TO DIVINE GUIDANCE
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For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).
Pastor Chris Says
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The Bible tells us how God chose Moses to be Israel's deliverer. However, his ambition got the better of him and he took matters into his own hands. In Exodus 2:11-22, Moses witnessed an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew. In anger, he killed the Egyptian and tried to hide the body.
The next day, when he tried to intervene in a scuffle between two Hebrews, one of them questioned his authority and asked if he was going to kill him as he killed the Egyptian. Afraid that his action of killing the Egyptian wasn't a secret after all, Moses fled to the land of Midian.
In Stephen's address to the Sanhedrin, as recounted by Luke in Acts 7, he underscores Moses' assumption that his brethren would have recognized him as God's chosen deliverer. Acts 7:25 (MSG) says, "He thought his brothers would be glad that he was on their side, and even see him as an instrument of God to deliver them. But they didn't see it that way."
Moses allowed his zeal to becloud and overshadow God's intended process. At the time, he didn't surrender his ambition to divine guidance. He was chosen by God to be the deliverer alright, but he tried to work things out his own way. It's a mistake a lot of people make.
In your life, learn to surrender your ambitions to His divine guidance. Follow God's plan, the divine blueprint. He's more passionate about your success than you could ever be. I discovered this early as I started out in ministry and it changed my life. Learn to pursue His dream and do things His way, it'll take away the stress and the struggle.
Remember the admonition that God gave to Moses later when he was to build the Tabernacle; He said, "... See...that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount (Hebrews 8:5). When you follow His prescribed order, you won't have to fight for anything, success will be effortless. You'd keep gliding from glory to glory. Things are remarkably easy when you follow the Lord's guidance and do things His way.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I surrender my ambitions to your divine guidance, and I make every moment of my life count for the Gospel. I find joy in pleasing you and walking in your perfect will. Thank you for being more interested in my success than I could ever be, a reflection of your unflinching love and overflowing grace, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
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Proverbs 3:5-6; Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Psalm 37:5; Commit thy way unto the LORD; Trust also in him; And he shall bring it to pass.
John 16:13; Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 10:25-42 & Joshua 23-24
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 7:12-25 & Psalm 108
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 WED. 3RD APRIL 2024
LIVE UNTO HIM
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For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's (Romans 14:8).
Pastor Chris Says
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In life, many grapple with discontentment, burdened by various concerns and life's challenges. Often, their dissatisfaction stems from not having learnt the value and fulfilment of living unto Christ. Living unto Him means finding contentment and fulfilment in what pleases Him, and your displeasure is confined to that which also displeases Him.
In other words, your displeasure can only be a reflection of His displeasure, which means you'll take nothing personally, you become impervious to personal offences. If you claim to be living unto the Lord, but still harbour hurt, offence, or anger, it raises the question of whether your desire to please the Lord is genuine.
It brings to mind the story in 1 Samuel 8:4-7; the elders of Israel approached the prophet Samuel at Ramah, expressing their desire for a king to rule over them like other nations. Samuel, displeased by their request, prayed to the Lord. God responded, instructing Samuel to heed the people's voice, clarifying that their request was a rejection of Him as their King rather than a rejection of Samuel.
The prophet Samuel felt personally offended, but God corrected and taught him a great lesson about being impervious to hurts, as it was about Him, not Samuel. Living for the Lord involves transcending personal feelings and aligning yourself with His divine will.
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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Dear Father, I choose to live unto you and please you at all times, full of love towards others. I align my desires with your divine will, and my joy and satisfaction come from pleasing you, living for you, and fulfilling my purpose in Christ. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Colossians 3:23; and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Galatians 1:10; For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
1 Samuel 8:4-7; Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
[5] and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
[6] But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
[7] And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 9:37-62 & Joshua 16-19
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 6:12-23 & Psalm 106
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 MON. 1ST APRIL 2024
A MESSAGE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
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For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
Pastor Chris Says
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Did you know that God isn’t counting the sins of men against them? He isn’t because Jesus already died for everybody. “I thought He died for Christians”; someone might ask. No; it was for the whole world! 2 Corinthians 5:19 NIV says, “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
Observe that it says God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. Why? It’s because Jesus paid for everybody. When Jesus died, every one of us died in Him; in the mind of justice, we were in Him in His death. When God raised Him up, the whole world was given the opportunity to receive eternal life—the life of righteousness.
That’s the reason our message is His Gospel to the whole world. Our mission is to tell the whole world that Jesus paid for their salvation; therefore they don’t have to die or be judged anymore. Jesus was judged for the whole world.
For everyone in the world today who hasn’t been born again, eternal life is available now. All they have to do is believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead in His substitutionary act of salvation, confess the Lordship of Jesus over their lives, and they’ll be brought into the vital realization, experience and union with the living Christ. Hallelujah!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die for the whole world, thereby making it possible for everyone who believes in His substitutionary work, and confesses His Lordship, to receive eternal life. Thank you for eternal life in me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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2 Corinthians 5:18-20; And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
[19] to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
[20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Mark 16:15-16; And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
[16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
1 John 5:13; These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 9:1-17; Joshua 10-12
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 5:12-21; Psalm 104
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 SAT. 30TH MARCH 2024
DON’T STRIVE TO "RE-CONQUER"
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For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).
Pastor Chris Says
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Observe that the Apostle John didn’t say we should try or attempt to use our faith to conquer the world, no! The Church is born of God. You are born of God. The Scriptures are born of God. And our theme verse says: "For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world..." (1 John 5:4 AMPC).
In John 16:33, the Lord Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." If He overcame the world for us, we don't have to “try” to overcome the world again.
Our faith in His victory is not an attempt to conquer the world but a recognition of His finished work in our behalf. He already conquered the world. We don't need to strive to "re-conquer"! An understanding of this truth will put springs in your steps.
Keep walking in the reality of the truth that you’ve conquered the world in Christ Jesus. Every so often, affirm that Satan, the prince of this world, has nothing in you. You’ve conquered the systems, economics and economies of this world. Hallelujah!
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for the indestructible and unconquerable life of Christ in me. Irrespective of the challenges in the world today, my faith is the victory that conquers the world! Everything I am and represent exudes the finished works of Christ in my behalf. The greater One lives in me and I’m living the higher life in Christ. Hallelujah!
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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1 Corinthians 15:57; But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14; Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Romans 8:31-37; What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
[32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
[33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 8:22-39 & Joshua 5-6
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 4:11-25 & Psalm 102
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 THURS. 28TH MARCH 2024
YOUR PERSONAL STUDY OF THE WORD
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This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (Joshua 1:8).
Pastor Chris Says
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The Word of God takes you from one level of glory to another as you open up to its divine revelations. It works in you when the truth therein dawns on your spirit—when you know it and agree with God about what He said. But how can you agree with Him if you don't know what He said?
That’s why you need to have a voracious appetite for study; get to know the Word, especially in this Year of Redemption, where you’re “cashing out your vouchers” for their actual value. Remember, those vouchers are God’s truths, His Word concerning you, which you have to proclaim by faith.
The Bible says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3). Read what the Lord Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, “…If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
Notice that the Master’s admonition was for them to continue in His Word. That means having an insatiable appetite for the knowledge of God’s Word. Through the Word, we renew our minds and build faith and character.
The Apostle Paul said, “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 AMPC).
The Lord Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures….” The Word of God is the mind of God expressed—His will written and expressed for us. Study the Word of God for yourself; understand it, speak it, and live accordingly.
🙏 P R A Y E R
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Dear Father, I thank you for showing me the importance of the personal study of your Word, a vital ingredient in my Christian walk. As I study and meditate on the Word today, I'm positioned to fulfil your desire and plan for my life, and my profiting is evident, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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Joshua 1:8 AMPC; This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
[17] that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Acts 17:11; These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 7:36-50 & Joshua 1-2
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 3:26-31 & Psalm 98-100
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
📅 TUES. 26TH MARCH 2024
THE CORE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
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Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27).
Pastor Chris Says
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Christianity, in its essence, can be encapsulated in our underlined words in the opening scripture: Christ in You. The revelation that Christ resides within you forms the core of the Christian Faith.
This divine union and interconnectedness between us and God is described by the Lord Jesus in His prayer to the Father in John 17:23. He said, "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
It also brings to mind what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:19: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” Think about that; God was in Christ, and now Christ is in you; that means God is in you. This is amazing.
Furthermore, the Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The glory of God being referred to here is the presence of God. Man lived in God, in His presence; God's presence was his light. That connection, that relationship was the glory. Then because of sin, man was cut off from that glory.
But today, in Christ Jesus, that glory that was lost in Romans 3:23 has been regained according to Colossians 1:27. The beautiful thing is, that presence is not just around you; it’s in you now. It's not just a voice walking in the Garden as in the Book of Genesis; that voice is now in you.
Now we can rejoice because it’s not Christ around you, amongst you, or with you, but Christ in you! When you received Christ, the glory came into your life. Your life is severed from shame, reproach, sickness, disease, failure and poverty because Christ is in you. Hallelujah!
🗣 C O N F E S S I O N
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Christ in me, the hope of glory! Therefore, glory, wholeness, health, preservation and prosperity are guaranteed in my life because Christ has come to live in the very quarters of my heart, making every fibre of my being, every bone of my body and every cell of my blood inundated with his presence. Hallelujah!
📖 FURTHER STUDY:
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1 Corinthians 6:19; What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1 John 4:4; 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.
Romans 8:10 ESV; But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 6:17-49 & Deuteronomy 31-32
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 3:13-19 & Psalm 95-96
Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional