devotional – Page 33 – Prince Chimaobim

THANKFUL FOR JUNE 2023

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Friday June 30, 2023

THANKFUL FOR JUNE 2023

Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
II Samuel 22:50 [KJV]

Colossians 3:17 says, ‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’ Whatever you do in word or deed, give thanks to God. Thanksgiving is what brings perfection to whatever you do in word or deed. For instance, prayer is not acceptable without thanksgiving accompanying it (see Philippians 4:6). Thanksgiving is the common denominator for a life of wonders. From 1st June to this last day of June, we have seen the hand of Yahweh releasing deluge of His Word daily for us. The Word has not been scarce at all and for that we owe Him thanks. Here at #WordForTodayDevotional, we dedicate the last day of the month as our thanksgiving day, where we celebrate the grace of Yahweh that has led us thus far in the month. If you are joining us for the first time, get set to thank Yahweh abundantly today, II Thessalonians 2:13, says that we are bound to give thanks to Yahweh always. It is a duty we owe the Lord. Itemize the things for which you are going to be giving thanks and in the list could be items that are yet to be done. Thank Yahweh profusely for them. As you are thanking Yahweh for what you are expecting Him to do, you are prophesying to that item that it is already done. Let see some benefits of returning to the Lord with thanksgiving:

THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

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Thursday June 29, 2023

THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)

A sacrifice is something that costs you something. It is a great value given to propitiate a being. II Samuel 24:24 showed us an example; “And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” The sacrifice of praise is praise that costs you something. It is praise that is not convenient and which tasks on your will and emotions. It is praise that is required at the most inconvenient time in your life. We shall see an example of the people that offered the sacrifice of praise. Anyone can thank Yahweh and praise Him when the going is smooth and great, but when all situations are contrary, and you still praise, it is a sacrifice at that time. It is important to note that sacrifice brings about speedy divine intervention. We saw how the sacrifice that King David gave brought about divine intervention and termination of the plague. That sacrifice also made that place a landmark till all eternity as the place the temple was later built. Sacrifice is very powerful.

THE STIMULANT FOR PRAISE

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Wednesday June 28, 2023

THE STIMULANT FOR PRAISE

I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil
Psalms 119:162 (KJV)

The Word of life is the greatest stimulant for unending praise. Yahweh’s Word is the energy required for a life of praise. Just catch it, celebrate it, and you are on your way up! “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Psalms 119:165) That is why those who are hooked up to the Word are not edgy or easily provoked, but are balanced in their approach to the things of life. They are not controlled or ruled by what they see. Rather, they are ruled by what is written, what they have seen in the Word of Yahweh. In every situation they can see Yahweh saying, “I have a way out for you.” So they keep celebrating the ways of Yahweh, before it becomes “flesh”. Your affection for the Word of Yahweh is what determines the quality of your praise. This is because you praise Him, not for happenings in your life, but for what is written. Your confidence in the Word will command rest in your life; and rest is what provokes praise.

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): BY LIVING IN THE FEAR OF YAHWEH

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Tuesday June 27, 2023

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): BY LIVING IN THE FEAR OF YAHWEH

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: …
Habakkuk 1:13a (KJV)

For your praise to be acceptable and satisfactory, you must deal with every enmity between you and Yahweh. The same Yahweh that responds to prayer is the same One that responds to praise. If when you hide iniquity in your heart, He does not hear your prayers (see Psalms 66:18), will He now celebrate you in praise? Yahweh’s eyes cannot behold evil. This attribute of Yahweh is what provoked the Psalmist to ask: ‘Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.’ (Psalm 15:1-3) Righteousness is your gateway to enjoying any benefit from Yahweh. Since He won’t behold iniquity, your praises to Him in iniquity won’t be acceptable before Him. He couldn’t even behold His only begotten Son on the cross when He bore the sins of the whole world upon Himself, how then would He listen to you when you praise Him in sin?

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (1): BY LIVING IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

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Sunday June 25, 2023

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (1): BY LIVING IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 4.24 (KJV)

For praise to be acceptable, it must be offered by the living. The dead cannot praise Yahweh. ‘The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.’ (Isaiah 38:19). But then there is a problem. Yahweh told Adam in Genesis 2:17, ‘for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’ Guess what? Adam actually ate that fruit and died. From that day, humanity ceases to be qualified to praise Yahweh because only the living can praise Yahweh. Man died and became separated from Yahweh. Goodnews! Yahushua came, died, was buried, rose on the third day and ascended to heaven where He is interceding for us now. If anyone surrenders to Yahushua HaMashiach he/she is quickened by the Spirit of HaMashiach and recreated. This experience we call being ‘born again’ is the only way man can be alive towards Yahweh and therefore, qualified to praise Him. Until you are quickened back to life and recreated by the Holy Spirit, you cannot praise Yahweh; you are dead in trespasses (see Ephesian 2:1-4). Why do you need Yahushua HaMashiach? The problem is not just the act of sin, but the nature of sin. Even if you claim that you have not sinned, you are still dead in sin because you inherited the nature of sin from Adam. When the Spirit of HaMashiach recreates you, you come alive with a new nature of righteousness not because of what you have done but because of the price Yahushua HaMashiach paid for sin.

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (6): NEGATIVE PAST

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Saturday June 24, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (6): NEGATIVE PAST

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

Isaiah 43:18 (KJV)

Negative past talks about events in your past that when you remember them, you are full of hurt, resentment, hate, vengeful, bitter and depressed. The habit of looking back at past failures is an enemy of praise. You can’t live a life of praise until you let go of the negative past. For instance, if you are driving a car forward, and rather than facing your front, you concentrate on looking backward, you know of course that you are heading for a ghastly motor accident. Lay all the troubles of the past to rest! If you have lost anything, He is the reason why you have not lost everything. You can’t praise Him with burdens. Looking at your negative past all the time will make things negative in your life. Let them go! The Bible says anyone who puts his hand on the plough and looks back, is not worthy of the kingdom (see Luke. 9:62). That means he is not fit for the blessings of the kingdom.

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (5): SORROW

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Friday June 23, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (5): SORROW

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Proverbs 15:13 (KJV)

Whatever breaks your spirit-man breaks your praise. Sorrow is an enemy of praise, and whatsoever stops your praise is an enemy of your destiny. Praises in the mouth of an unhappy man are like songs in the mouth of a pig; it’s a nuisance in the ears of Yahweh. Sorrow does not only break the spirit, it also blocks your access to Yahweh. Many ailments people suffer today are as a result of sorrow of heart. When your heart is broken, your body will soon fall apart. Your physical body is in danger at the instance of prolonged sorrow of heart (depression). There are two basic causes of sorrow in the lives of people:

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (4): HIGH-MINDEDNESS

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Thursday June 22, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (4): HIGH-MINDEDNESS

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Romans 11:20 (KJV)

Highmindedness is one of the greatest enemies of praise. It is a condition where an individual sees everything as below his expectation. He sees himself as too much for where he is and hardly appreciates the acts of Yahweh in his life. As a matter of fact, Yahweh is too slow for him. This is nothing but a device of the enemy to turn one against Yahweh, by portraying Him as unfaithful and slow. The Bible says that in the last days, men shall be high-minded, lovers of pleasures and of self more than lovers of Yahweh (see 2 Timothy.3:2-5). They are never satisfied and they celebrate their qualifications and expertise at the expense of their relationship with Yahweh. At the end of the day, Yahweh leaves them to themselves. But 1 Timothy 6:17 says, ‘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.‘ Life is in phases! Until you accept the reality of that statement, you may be phased out. You must appreciate the fact that you are where you are now, by the faithfulness of Yahweh. So, whatever you possess is not as a result of your expertise, but the hand of Yahweh upon your life.

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): OFFENCE

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Wednesday June 21, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): OFFENCE

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Matthew 11:6 (KJV)

Offence is the natural tendency in the hour of difficulty and pressure. It is a negative reaction to unpleasant condition. Unfortunately, it’s a reaction against your helper, thereby rendering you completely helpless. The offended man says, “Why me? Where is Yahweh now? Is His Word still there? Can anyone really count on Him?” The answer to all offenses is patience. In the parable of the sower, Yahushua said: ‘But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.’ (Luke 8:15). No matter how good your heart is, patience is needed to enjoy the fullness of Yahweh’s plan for your life. You get offended easily, that’s why it looks as if things are not working for you. If the devil tells you, “If Yahweh was going to lift you, He should have done it by now.” Tell him, “Yahweh is never late. He created the entire would in six days, so whatever deadline is before me now is too much for Him to perfect all that concerns me.” Be determined, like Job, to wait till the time your change comes from the Lord, for there is no shame to them that wait for Yahweh (see Isaiah. 49:23).

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (2): COVETOUSNESS

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Tuesday June 20, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (2): COVETOUSNESS

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Luke 12:15 (KJV)

Covetousness is an attitude marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another’s possessions. It is showing extreme cupidity (extreme greed for material wealth); painfully desirous of another’s advantages. Another obstacle to a life of praise is covetousness. Nothing is ever enough for the covetous. People are running helter-skelter daily, because they are under the plague of covetousness. Oh yes, it is a plague which wipes smiles off its victim’s face. The worth of a man is not in what he possesses. But what is the cure for covetousness? 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, ‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.’ Contentment is the answer to covetousness. The Holy Spirit makes us understand that everybody has what it takes to be contented. He said, “And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.” Note that it says, “having food”, not “foods”; “and raiment”, not “raiments.” Godliness with contentment is great gain. That means contentment is your open door to great gains in life. Why? With contentment, you maintain a praiseful lifestyle, which would bring you outstanding liftings. It is impossible to maintain joy where contentment is absent.